Oilers' list of areas to improve is a long, troubling one after back-to-back losses to Kings

LOS ANGELES The Edmonton Oilers have a long list of areas to improve on after back-to-back losses a stark reality has them feeling disgusted.

Were pissed off right now going down two (games), defenceman Darnell Nurse said.

We havent played to the standard or the level that were capable of playing at.

Advertisement The Oilers allowed six goals against for the second straight game of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings and, fittingly, fell 6-2 on Wednesday.

There was no miraculous comeback attempt spearheaded by Connor McDavid this time.

He was held without a point, in fact.

No, this was an old-fashioned beatdown.

Theres a lot that must be fixed for them to have a chance to win this series or even make it close.

We have to dig in, superstar forward Leon Draisaitl said, and we have to be better.

It starts with their work on the power play and penalty kill.

Last year, the Oilers knocked the Kings out of the playoffs in convincing fashion on the strength of their special teams.

They dominated on the man advantage by going 9-for-20, a downright ridiculous 45 percent clip.

As amazing as their power play was, their penalty kill was maybe even better.

The Oilers didnt surrender a goal while short-handed on 12 chances by the Kings.

Winger Zach Hyman called the killers efforts the story of the series.

That whole story has turned into a tragedy.

Theyre just winning that battle right now, Draisaitl said.

Its all it is.

If we (want) an opportunity to turn this thing around, its special teams, coach Kris Knoblauch said.

The Oilers gave up three power-play goals to the Kings on five opportunities on Wednesday.

The Kings were 2-for-5 in the opener.

Their five-forward look is giving the Oilers fits.

Its nearly impossible to win when an opponent scores on half of its chances on the man advantage through two games.

Those five power-play goals are already one more than the Oilers allowed through 25 games on their run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last spring.

Its a startling difference.

Its the details to our game, whether its sticks, finding lanes, Nurse said.

We havent been good enough on the penalty kill, and thats to a man.

Each of us knows, individually, starting with myself, that weve got to be better on it.

Advertisement And then theres the power play.

Its failed to score on five opportunities through two games after a 0-for-3 showing on Wednesday.

Hyman had the best chance in the first period when he failed to convert on a pass from McDavid thanks to a sliding stop by Darcy Kuemper.

That might have been the only good attempt.

We know how they kill.

Its no secret, winger Corey Perry said.

They pressure all over the place.

Youve got to make a couple good passes and execute.

We just have to cash in, Draisaitl said.

The Oilers might have been able to get by and maybe even steal a game on the road if special teams were the only problem.

Of course, theyre not.

They loaded up their top line with McDavid and Draisaitl, who were mostly flanked by Perry.

Those three drove play but only came out even at five-on-five, even though Draisaitl extended his playoff point streak against the Kings to 16 games.

Evander Kane made his season debut after more than 10 months between games and, naturally, showed lots of rust.

Kanes line with Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was ineffective, and his cross-checking penalty on Brandt Clarke 6:55 into the first period led to Clarkes opening goal.

The offence had its moments, but didnt generate enough quality looks and certainly didnt finish enough chances.

But the biggest concern of all was the way theyve defended.

The Oilers allowed Kings forwards to walk right in and unload unfettered shots on three of their goals in Game 2.

First, it was emerging star Quinton Byfield.

Then, it was noted nemesis Adrian Kempe on the two occasions after that.

The Oilers have had no answers for the Kings top line of Kempe, Anze Kopitar and Andrei Kuzmenko.

Its mistakes, Knoblauch said.

I dont necessarily see L.A.

making plays to beat us.

I see mistakes, gift-wrapping opportunities.

If you look at the goals, a lot of them are self-inflicted turnovers, running out of position, Perry said.

They left goaltender Stuart Skinner defenceless at key times.

He was pulled during a media timeout with 9:30 remaining in the third period after allowing five goals on 28 shots.

What do you want him to do? Perry said.

Its not his fault.

He made some good saves and played hard.

Hes battling for us.

Its the play in front of him that weve got to tighten up.

No team in this league can survive giving up the amount of Grade As and high-danger chances that weve been giving up, Nurse said.

Weve been hanging our goalie out to dry on quite a few occasions.

Advertisement Knoblauch said he made the goalie switch to give Skinner a break and to try to spark his players.

Perhaps the latter consideration wasnt such an outlandish thought given how the Oilers rallied from three goals down in the third to tie Game 1 before Phillip Danaults last-minute heroics.

Instead, Kempes second goal came on the first shot Calvin Pickard faced.

Skinner has now given up 11 goals on 58 shots in the series.

He arguably hasnt given up a soft goal yet, which is what Knoblauch conveyed after the game.

But the sheer volume of pucks the Kings have zipped by him means Knoblauch and goalie coach Dustin Schwartz might have no choice but to turn to Pickard in Game 3.

If the Oilers keep playing like this as the series shifts to Edmonton, it wont matter whos in net.

Theres so much to get sorted out, and very little time to do so.

The Kings are outplaying the Oilers in just about every facet imaginable.

As a former NHL coach told The Athletic before the series, Sometimes, you just get sick of losing.

Thats how the Kings are playing.

Theyre just a cut or two or three above the Oilers, whove got a long way to go to get to their best level.

Weve got a hunger to win as well, but weve got to ramp it up, Draisaitl said.

Weve got to dig in.

Weve got to start playing here.

Obviously, it hasnt been good enough.

Theres hunger on their side.

Of course, you can sense that.

But its not anything that were not able to match.

We just have to find it, and weve got to find it quick.

(Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images).

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