Kings and Oilers meet for the third time in three years, that's how rivalries are made.
It has been mentioned daily since the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers first-round series became official. This is the third time in three years that they are meeting each other in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The first two series went the Oilers' way with a win in six games and a win in seven games. But this year, it could be different. It could also be a very good trilogy in this rivalry.
Rivalries are traditionally made through the playoffs because there is so much hatred for one another. Well, maybe besides the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, no two teams have met each other so much in a short period.
Aside from the hatred these teams have for one another, the two teams' skill levels could make this a great series. Anze Kopitar vs. Connor McDavid, Pierre-Luc Dubois vs. Leon Draisaitl, and Adrain Kempe vs. Zach Hyman are must-watch TV.
There is also Darnell Nurse vs. Drew Doughty and the one head-to-head that could determine this series, Cam Talbot vs. Stuart Skinner. The Oilers' biggest advantage, aside from having the best player in the world in McDavid, is their goaltending.
Their goaltending isn't the best in the league but against the Kings, it could go in the Oilers' favour. There is still a chance that Talbot can outplay Skinner but on paper, the Oilers would be the favour in the series just due to the goalie department alone.
The biggest advantage that the Kings have is, the fact that they are underdogs. Not many "NHL Insiders" have LA beating Edmonton, but that won't matter to a team that embraces the underdog mentality. This Kings team has the chance to embrace it and repeat the 2012 journey to the Stanley Cup.