Oilers' Leon Draisaitl takes a subtle dig at LA Kings' defensive playstyle

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl secured the victory for his team in Game 4 against the LA Kings on Sunday with an overtime goal.

The Kings had a dominant game, leading 3-1 before the third period. Defenseman Evan Bouchard emerged as the key contributor for the Oilers, scoring twice in the third to tie the game and force overtime.

Leon Draisaitl then clinched Game 4 with a power-play goal at 18:18 into the extra period, leveling the best-of-seven series at 2-2.

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After the game, Draisaitl took a dig at LA's defensive playstyle, noting that the Kings tend to play a conservative, opportunistic style, which makes them a challenging opponent.

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"I think they always sit back from minute one. That's what they do, that's what they do extremely well," Said Draisaitl post-game. "That's what makes them a really hard team to play.They're a dangerous, opportunistic group. I really liked our composure. I liked the way we stuck with it. This group, to beat that team over there, you need a lot of patience. That was a mature win for us."

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Leon Draisaitl took his series tally to nine points through three goals and six assists in four games. Game 5 returns to Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. The puck drops at 10 p.m. ET.

Leon Draisaitl's teammate Connor McDavid speaks on LA Kings' playstyle

Ahead of Game 4, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid shared his thoughts on the LA Kings' playing style. Taking a subtle dig, he noted that the Kings play a stingy game, waiting for opponents to make mistakes while capitalizing on power-play opportunities.

"That's the game they play. You know, they play a stingy game, wait for you to make a mistake, or you know obviously they're capitalizing a lot on power play as well. You know, give them that. Should eliminate a lot of things that we've given them. A lot of it's on us, we got to figure out a way to not make a big mistake," McDavid said.

Connor McDavid has amassed nine points through two goals and seven assists in the series against the LA Kings.

Also Read: Connor McDavid takes subtle dig at Kings 'stingy' game after back-to-back losses in playoff series

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 Abhishek Dilta