The Los Angeles Kings currently have a 2-0 lead against the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs and have already answered some pivotal questions. The Kings have seen their season end in the first round in each of the prior three seasons to this same Oilers' franchise and in two of those three series they would win Game 1.
However, none of those series saw the Kings win that second game to push the lead to two games. In fact, last year the Kings only won one of the five games so they have surpassed last year's total. In addition, the power play unit has been exceptional with five power play goals on 10 chances through the first two games. The power play unit has been a weakness for most of the regular season so for the Kings to be as effective as they have been is a pleasant surprise.
As many positives as there have been, there have been some tense moments, most notably in the third period of Game 1. The Oilers would score four goals and tie the game at five late in the period. Fortunately, Phillip Danault responded with a goal to give the Kings the lead. However, if he didn't, the discussion around this series would be very different.
Los Angeles Kings must prove they can win on the road in the playoffs
The Kings have now shown they can get a notable series lead and the power play can be a positive difference maker for this team. The next step is how they do on the road, which has been a problem this season.
As good as they were at home, the Kings were almost equally bad at home and on the season were 17-19-5. The good news is that they did finish the season strong in road games as they went 4-1 in their final five games away from Crypto.com Arena.
While a win in Game 3 doesn't guarantee they are going to advance to the next round, it puts them in a great position to accomplish that with momentum squarely on their side. A win by Oilers certainly would help their confidence and give them the chance to go back to Los Angeles with the series tied at two.
The Los Angeles Kings have a chance to make a statement on Friday night and they can't miss this opportunity.