3 least impressive Edmonton Oilers players from 6-2 blowout loss to LA Kings feat. Stuart Skinner

The Edmonton Oilers suffered a 6-2 blowout loss to the LA Kings in Game 2 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday. The defeat leaves the Oilers trailing 2-0 in their Western Conference playoff series.

The team's performance was marked by ineffective goaltending, a lackluster offense and a woeful penalty kill unit that allowed three powerplay goals. The Kings capitalized on three of their opportunities, while the Oilers went 0-for-3 with the man advantage, echoing the special-teams struggles they faced in Game 1.

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The last time the Oilers overcame a 2-0 series deficit in the first round was in 2006 against the San Jose Sharks, when they went on to win four straight. They'll need to replicate a similar comeback to keep their playoff hopes alive.

3 least impressive players from Edmonton Oilers' 6-2 loss to LA Kings in Game 2

#1. Darnell Nurse

Nurse's defensive lapses were evident in the second period when he was caught out of position during Quinton Byfield's goal. As Byfield received the puck and charged toward the net, Nurse failed to close the gap, leaving his defensive partner, Evan Bouchard, as the sole defenseman.

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Bouchard was unable to react in time, and Nurse's poor positioning allowed Byfield to skate untouched from the top of the faceoff circle, giving the Kings a 2-0 lead.

#2. Stuart Skinner

Stuart Skinner had another challenging outing between the pipes, allowing five goals on 28 shots in Game 2, bringing his series total to 10 goals across two games.

While the shaky defense in front of him hasn't helped, Skinner has struggled to make critical saves, unlike his counterpart, Darcy Kuemper, who has been solid for the Kings.

#3. Victor Arvidsson

Edmonton sparked hopes of a comeback in the third period when Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson scored to narrow the Kings' lead to 3-2. However, Arvidsson's costly mistake in the defensive zone derailed its momentum.

At 6:46, his giveaway in front of the Oilers' net left Adrian Kempe wide open, allowing him to restore the Kings' two-goal advantage. Just two minutes later, Adam Henrique's roughing penalty against Byfield gave the Kings a power-play opportunity, which Anze Kopitar converted to extend their lead to 5-2.

The Edmonton Oilers will look to bounce back in Game 3 at Rogers Place on Friday. The puck is scheduled to drop at 10:00 p.m. ET.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Veer Badani