In the Edmonton Oilers’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on December 28, 2024, several players underperformed, contributing to the defeat. Here are three players whose performances were notably below expectations:
- Adam Henrique: Henrique had a particularly rough outing, finishing with a minus-4 rating. He was on the ice for all four goals against, and his line was dominated throughout the game by the Kings’ trio of Warren Foegele, Quinton Byfield, and Tanner Jeannot, who combined for four goals and seven points. Henrique’s defensive lapses were evident, including a failure to clear the puck on the Kings’ second goal and losing coverage in critical areas on subsequent goals.
- Kasperi Kapanen: Despite scoring the opening goal for the Oilers, Kapanen’s overall performance was inconsistent. He struggled to maintain defensive responsibilities and was on the ice for multiple goals against. His inability to effectively backcheck and support the defense contributed to the Kings’ offensive opportunities.
- Connor Brown: Brown’s impact on the game was minimal, as he failed to register a point and was on the ice for several goals against. His line struggled to generate sustained offensive pressure, and defensively, he was caught out of position on multiple occasions, allowing the Kings to capitalize on scoring chances.
