Player Rating: Skinner shuts off the kitchen sink, Bouchard beats Los Angeles Kings and bombs Edmonton Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers accomplished it in a way that is rarely accomplished, but needs to be accomplished. That means a combination of tough checking, smart, tenacious defense and exceptional goaltending.

The Kings came out with an obvious hungry spirit, hitting mad and passing smartly in the first game, trying hard to set up point shots that could chip in. They threw everything at Edmonton Nets Stuart Skinner, including the kitchen sink, but he held on. It was a close game for all three periods and they won 1-0.

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No player on the Oilers had a positive shot differential at even strength, but they flexed without breaking.

In total, Edmonton had six Grade A shots and the Kings had 10, with the more dangerous subset of five-alarm shots being Edmonton's two and Los Angeles' only one.

Connor McDavid, 7 years old. He repeatedly ran into the solid wall of the Kings' stick and body early in the game. But he darted all over the place on the second-period power play, tossing the Kings at their mercy and opening up passing and shooting lanes for Draisaitl and Bouchard's first goals. He got the puck and connected with his slotter for a dry third period. Grade A Shot Contribution (GAS): Even Strength +1/-1, Special Teams +1/-0.

Zach Hyman, 6 years old. He put his body on the line in the first game and pushed his team against LA's intensity. Gas: ES +1/-1; ST+0/-0

Adam Enrique, 6 years old. He played a safe game while coordinating well with his linemates. Gas: ES +0/-1; ST+0/-0

Leon Draisaitl, 8 years old. He's trying his best and paying more attention to his defense. He charged the ice a few times in his first game and tried to make something happen. Kane set up one dangerous shot and he also put one of his own on target. They had a chance to kill the Kings with a wide-open slot shot in the middle of the third inning, but couldn't score. Gas: ES +3/-1; ST+1/-0

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Evander Kane, 7 years old. Earn his promotion. Critical d-zone clears come early in the game and then again in his second. He beat a stiff Grade A on net in the first game, and early in the second he avalanched Doughty, slamming him into the boards and catching him in the legs. Gas: ES +2/-0; ST+0/-0

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 6 years old. He struggles to bring his “A” game in the playoffs. He fought hard in this game, but on the second one he was beaten from behind the net by Arvidsson on a wraparound and follow-up rebound. He picked off a key pass on LA's third-period power play. Gas: ES +2/-2; ST+0/-0

Ryan McLeod, 7 years old. All kinds of hustle plays, all kinds of smart plays. Early in the second, for example, he created rush-up ice and kept the puck low to allow his tired teammates to make the necessary line changes. His second goal resulted in a penalty awarded to Andreas Englund. However, he made an incorrect read on a passing play that led to Moore's second third-period Grade A shot. Gas: ES +1/-1; ST+0/-0

Warren Vogel, 6 years old. Skates hard, but doesn't bring his “A” game yet in the playoffs. But there were no major mistakes, which is important in a game like this. Gas: ES +0/-0; ST+0/-0

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Corey Perry, 6 years old. His job was done. He took the puck hard into the net off a pass from McLeod early on, making his first and fifth shot of the game. Gas: ES +1/-0; ST+0/-0

Derek Ryan, 7 years old. Veteran performance. He held the puck and wisely set up Holloway's one-timer in his first game. Gas: ES +1/-0; ST+0/-0

Matthias Janmark, 6 years old. Smart check game as always. Early in the third inning, he allowed an outside shot that was tipped by LaFerrier. Gas: ES +0/-1; ST+0/-0

Dylan Holloway, 7 years old. He played a veteran's game. He put the harpoon into the net early, then hit Spence big on the forecheck. On the second, he scraped the ice on the forecheck, forcing England to bob the puck. Gas: ES +1/-0; ST+0/-0

Matthias Ekholm, 7 years old. There are solid jobs out there. In the second one, he made some tricky outside shots. Gas: ES +0/-2; ST+0/-0

Evan Bouchard, 8 years old. He made some solid defensive stops and passes in his first game, earning him some praise from Sportsnet's Kevin Bieksa. Great play keeping the puck early in the second and then setting up McD low and avoiding his own wicked slapper in the sequence. Then, on the power play midway through the second goal, the harpoon came off a pass from Drai, scoring the first goal of the game, and the biggest moment came. Gas: ES +1/-1; ST+0/-0

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Kodi Ceci, 7 years old. There was a lot of action at Oyer, but he did his best to keep things calm. He made an important clearance off the first Skinner rebound, likely preventing a goal. Despite the Oilers being outshot 5-for-22 in shots, he kept a clean sheet at even strength and didn't make a single mistake in a Grade A shot against even strength. Gas: ES +0/-0; ST+0/-0

Darnell Nurse, 6 years old. It's better than bad. He had some strong offensive moves, but he was even better because he went right back and played defense. He also got Bieksa's backing, with the commentator saying, “When he keeps the game simple and doesn't overreact, he's a great defender for them.” We did some good work on the important third period penalty kick. Gas: ES +1/-4; ST+0/-0

Vincent Descharnais, 7 years old. He was trusted until the last moment of the game. He played against the aggressive Kings and gave as much as he got. Gas: ES +0/-1; ST+0/-0

Brett Clack, 7 years old. He fanned his first and biggest chance, a slot pass from McDavid. He blocked Arvidsson's break-in attempt with a stick check. Gas: ES +0/-0; ST+0/-0

Stuart Skinner, 10 years old. Super super sharp. This match featured all kinds of tricky activities and moments by a Kings team that was desperate for a win but still focused in its approach. Skin Daddy made a big splash in the first few minutes, stopping two chip shots, and recorded a number of great moments against a high-spirited Kings team in the first game. He made two good stops against Mikey Anderson in the second, the second coming off his own rebound. In the second shot, Arvidsson's lap and rebound shot also stopped significantly. Early in the third, Laferriere got a big stop, then a jam from Trevor Moore, then again on a snipe from Moore.

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