GAME RECAP: Kings 4, Oilers 0 (Game 4)

LOS ANGELES, CA - What a difference two days can make.
On Friday night, the Oilers stormed into Crypto.com Arena and clobbered Los Angeles to the tune of an 8-2 decision, giving them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series.
Just 48 hours later, they were held off the scoresheet completely by Jonathan Quick and the Kings as the veteran netminder made 31 saves in a 4-0 shutout victory to even the series.
What started as a best-of-seven is now a best-of-three starting with Game 5 of the series on Tuesday night at Rogers Place, while Game 6 will be back in Los Angeles on Thursday.

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FIRST BLOOD

After getting out-scored 14-2 combined over the previous two games, the Kings came out determined not to get blown out again as they dictated the early pace and generated the game's opening tally at the 8:03 mark of the first period.
As a result of a tenacious Kings forecheck, a loose puck squirted out from the sideboards and bounced over Evan Bouchard's stick, allowing Phillip Danault to get behind him, drive to the net and drop a no-look pass back to Trevor Moore on the doorstep and his second of the series.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Trailing 2-0, the Oilers were building momentum in the middle frame but simply could not solve Quick, culminating in back-to-back stops late in the period shockingly made while having a bare trapper hand.
With two minutes on the clock, Evander Kane made a determined drive down the right wing and found Kailer Yamamoto cutting to the net. As Quick pushed off his post, his glove got caught and fell to the ice, but he still managed to get his shoulder on Yamamoto's shot attempt, causing the puck to hit the crossbar and bounce out.
Yamamoto pursued the rebound into the corner and returned the favour to Kane, who had circled around the net and found himself open in the slot. Quick stopped his shot as well, though, still with a bare hand, this time getting his blocker on the attempt to preserve his shutout through 40 minutes.

TURNING POINT

The Oilers had a prime opportunity to break the goose egg on the power play 3:18 into the third period when Connor McDavid drew a tripping penalty, but keeping with the theme of the night, Quick made the necessary stops and the visitors were unable to generate enough dangerous chances.

TOP PERFORMER

Quick, who was pulled from Friday's loss after allowing the opening four goals on 17 shots, responded with a massive effort in Game 4, earning his 48th career post-season win and 10th shutout.

PARTING WORDS

Nugent-Hopkins on the drive of the Kings early in the game that persisted through 60 minutes:
"They came out and we knew they were going to respond. We were losing puck battles early and letting them get to our net a little too easy. They put pucks on net and it worked. We didn't respond well enough early and that's a tough team to come back on. We've got to learn from this and move on to Game 5 at home."
Nugent-Hopkins on the expected pushback from the Kings tonight after Edmonton's lopsided win in Game 3:
"We just have to be able to respond. We see them come out like that and we know. We did a good job our first game down here. They came out flying and we pushed back and had our push. We need to do a better job of that in the future, but obviously it's a big one at home [on Tuesday] and we've got to have that start and that same mentality of pushing and creating our own energy."
Nugent-Hopkins on the Kings clogging the neutral zone:
"We know that's how they want to play is making us put the puck in, not giving us anything off the rush, and we've done a better job than tonight in the previous three games. I think I'm just going to keep hounding on it -- it's just going to come down to work and you've just got to outwork them. We're going back home and we're going to need the same push that they had early in the game. We're going to need to do that to them and make sure we push them out of the game early."

Nugent-Hopkins on the power play's shortcomings while going 0-for-3 on the night:
"I think it's the same thing across the board -- penalty kill, 5-on-5, powerplay -- it's just [about] working. We've got to outwork those guys and they were working on their penalty kill tonight and didn't give us as many looks. We had some looks and Quick stood in there; 5-on-5, same thing. We've got to find a way to break him down, but at the end of the day, it's just about work."
Nugent-Hopkins on the mindset change with the series becoming a best-of-three:
"It shouldn't change anything for us. We know we're in a battle here. We know that's a good team over there, and there's no team that's just going to roll over in this league. Everybody's here for a reason and it's just going to come down to who wants it more and finding a way to break them down and stick with it."
Woodcroft on the difference between Edmonton's performances in Games 3 & 4:
"I don't think we started anywhere near where we needed to start. We knew they were going to come with a push and we didn't weather it very well, or certainly, not the way we wanted to. We fell behind in the game and we certainly had our chances to score, but sometimes you get what you earn and tonight wasn't where it needed to be. It's a missed opportunity for us."
Woodcroft on the contrast in starts to Game 4 from both sides:
"I just didn't think we skated at the level we needed to skate at. I think our battles and stick fights weren't where they needed to be. We're better, we're capable of more, and we're going to digest this game and give our players something as a focal point heading into Game 5.

Woodcroft on if injury was the reason Derek Ryan was kept out of the lineup:
"He was a little dinged up, so out of precaution we held him out today."
Woodcroft on managing emotions from this defeat:
"We talked about it. It's one game at a time for us and today, we dropped a game. It's a missed opportunity and that's what it is. As I said, we'll do our work and digest our game to give our players something that'll be a focal point heading into Game 5."
Woodcroft on the powerplay failing to provide a goal or an answer for Edmonton tonight:
"I thought we had a few chances on the powerplay. We didn't convert, but I thought it was similar to our overall game as a team. To a man, all of us can be better."
Woodcroft on resetting and re-evaluating coming home into a new best-of-three series:
"I think we look at our opportunity heading into next game. It's Game 5 on home ice and that's where we're putting our focus and our attention is: 'how can we be better?'
Darnell Nurse on what was different tonight compared to the last few games:
"We didn't start as well as we had in the last couple games. They jumped on us, got a 2-0 lead, got themselves in a comfortable position and played their game."
Nurse on losing more battles tonight:
"For sure. Maybe if we had started better we would have put ourselves in a better position coming out of that first period. I think battling is a big part of that."

Nurse on Quick rebounding after getting pulled in Game 3:
"It's a good team, they're going to come back and make their adjustments. Quick is a good goalie, and he's been a good goalie in this league for such a long time. He's not just going to come back and feel bad, he's going to play his butt off and he did tonight."
Nurse on the physical play in the game, and if they were trying to send a message:
"We're four games. The blood starts to boil a bit, that's all."
Nurse on the series now being a best of three:
"We just focus on the next one, the next one is the big one. We're not looking too far ahead, we have to make sure we have the right effort in the next couple days."