You don’t always get rewarded, no matter how well you play. And sometimes, when Los Angeles is playing peak Kings hockey, you don’t get rewarded with even a single goal, despite nine high danger chances (at least) around the Kings net.

The Edmonton Oilers didn’t play their best game of the season Saturday in Los Angeles, but they’ve darned sure played worse and won games this season. Regardless, the Kings scored 7:34 into the game and defended their way to the finish line in a 1-0 win.

It was vintage Kings hockey: as low event as they could keep it; get an early lead and counter-punch the rest of the way. It’s the style of game that has made the Kings successful in recent regular seasons, but the style that Edmonton consistently finds a way to overcome when the chips are down in a playoff series.

“I thought we played hard,” said Adam Henrique, who had a team-high four shots on net. “It was a solid game throughout — top to bottom. Everybody was in there, contributing, getting chances… We just couldn't find a way to get one.”

A Kings team that’s in a desperate fight for the final playoff berth out West did what they do best, and no one has had a front row seat to Kings hockey at important times of the year than these Oilers. They’ve proven to have the secret sauce, dispatching the Kings in the opening round of the playoffs for four consecutive springs, but in........

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