LOS ANGELES — The Kings couldn’t match the Oilers’ urgency and fell 8-1 on Thursday night in another key divisional matchup.
The Kings came out of the Olympic break with consecutive losses to Pacific Division opponents. The Oilers sit one point back in third place in the Pacific Division, and with the Kings chasing the Kraken tonight for wild-card spot, it’s a chance for the Kings to make up some ground at a crucial time in the season.
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“These two games are really important for conference teams,” Kings guard Mitch Anderson said. “But, again, you can stretch and everybody can be on fire and I know we have a team here that can do that.”
After the first quarter, the Oilers led 2-1 and scored three goals in the second quarter to kick off the game.
The Kings tried to spark a comeback early in the third period with some energy from Jeff Malott, but the Kings responded with another power-play goal from Leon Draisaitl.
Several “Fire Miller” chants briefly rang out in Crypto.com Arena after the Oilers scored to extend their lead to 7-1 and 8-1.
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“My focus is on trying to win on Saturday,” head coach Jim Shearer said when asked about his job security. “We signed up for this job. I think when you get a job in coaching, you probably always worry about it, so it’s just something that’s always hidden away. But the most important thing is trying to make your team win games.”
After acquiring Artemi Panarin and making short adjustments during the Olympic break, the Kings now face an increasingly narrow path to the playoffs in the final stretch of the season.
“twenty four [games] “It looks like a lot, but we have to get on track really, really quickly,” Anze Kopitar said. “Obviously, it’s getting to the point where teams on the outside are looking inward and if you’re not on the inside, the chances are smaller.”