Oilers’ Kane shakes off rust of lost season in 7-4 win over Kings

Edmonton Oilers' Jake Walman (96) and Evander Kane (91) celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during third period NHL playoff action in Edmonton on Friday, April 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Evander Kane didn’t take long to be an impact player for the Edmonton Oilers again.

He required one game to shake off the rust of a lost regular season before producing a pivotal moment in Edmonton’s 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday.

The Oilers trail the Kings 2-1 heading into Sunday’s Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

Kane missed the entire regular season because of sports hernia surgery in September, knee surgery in January and the accompanying rehabilitation.

Wednesday’s Game 2 in L.A. was Kane’s first since Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final June 10, 2024.

Kane’s third-period goal Friday produced a huge payday. It withstood both a video review and coach’s challenge to knot the score 4-4.

Evan Bouchard scored the go-ahead goal on Edmonton’s subsequent power play for the lost coach’s challenge.

Kane’s half-look backhand pass to Connor Brown in the slot tied the game 3-3 in the second period.

“He’s one in a million, man,” Brown said. “It’s unbelievable what he’s able to do when the lights are on.

“I thought he had a great game tonight. Not only did he obviously have those two big impactful (moments), but I thought he was holding on to the puck. He’s forechecking well. I thought our line was able to sustain some offence and a lot to do with him.

“I missed the full season and it took me about 60 games score. It took him six periods.”

Kane played just under 15 minutes and registered a shot on net in the 6-2 loss in Game 2.

“To be honest, I felt OK last game,” he said. “You’re never going to feel perfect when it’s your first game back in that long, but tonight in terms of my legs and feel out there, night and day. and I’m sure it’s going to continue to get better.”

The power forward was battling for the puck at L.A.’s doorstep when the puck went off his skate and Darcy Kuemper’s body for him to tap under the Kings’ goalie. Rogers Place had to wait until after the review and challenge to celebrate.

“I knew it was just a matter of them seeing it on the replay and it felt good and then they challenge it, so you never know what can happen in those situations,” Kane said.

“It was a good boost for our team, an important goal. And then the power play goes out and does its thing and we’re in the lead, so big win for our group.

“Hopefully give us some momentum going into Game 4 and have a chance to hold serve on home ice.”

Kane and captain Connor McDavid, who scored into an empty net and had two assists after he was held off the scoresheet in Game 2, each generated a team-high four shots on L.A.’s net.

“I missed a whole year but I think just continuing to get back into a groove and getting into playoff hockey, you come back to Edmonton you know there’s some buzz in the city,” Kane said. ”You go out for warm-up so I think we kind of got re-energized a little bit.

“I thought the first two games you know we were kind of still in regular-season mode and tonight, especially in the first period we looked like we’re ready to go and you know had a big push in the third.”

The 33-year-old from Vancouver wasn’t the only Oiler trying to get his game legs back and recover chemistry to start the playoffs.

Defenceman John Klingberg missed the last 10 games of the regular season and Game 1 of the series after blocking a shot March 27.

Forward Trent Frederic appeared in just one regular-season game after Edmonton acquired him at the trade deadline because of a high-ankle sprain. Leon Draisaitl, who had two assists Friday, sat out the last seven games of the regular season as well.

“I’ll put myself into that group as well,” Draisaitl said. “Sometimes it takes a little (time), but this is intense hockey right off the bat. Obviously we don’t have much time.

“It feels good right now to get that win, but it’s not going to do much if we don’t follow it up. We’ve got to follow it in two days here and take this back to LA 2-2.”

-- Donna Spencer

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2025.