The series between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings has featured a lot of offence so far, which is a little surprising considering both clubs posted pretty good defensive numbers during the regular season.  In 2023/24, the Oilers allowed the fifth lowest rate of shots against per game (28.12, all situations) while the Kings ranked fourth, allowing 28.01 per game. This along with sound goaltending helped drive positive results, as the Kings allowed the third lowest rate of goals in the league (2.56 per game), while the Oilers ranked tenth (2.88 per game).

But it doesn’t appear as though either team’s defensive performance or results have transferred from the regular season to the post-season.

The Oilers and Kings have combined for 28 goals in four games, so an average of seven goals per game. That’s the second highest rate of goals per game among the eight first-round series, with the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets averaging 8.5 goals per game. Those two teams have combined for 34 goals in four games.

The Oilers/Kings series has also seen the second highest rate of shots per game, due in large part to the Kings volume-shooting tactics from low-probability scoring areas. When you look at expected goals, the Oilers and Kings rank fifth among the eight playoff series. Regardless, it appears as though both teams are pushing heavily for offence, likely recognizing that the opposing goalies have played a lot of minutes this season and the defencemen have deficiencies.

Data: Natural Stat Trick