Kuzmenko Shines as Kings Edge Oilers in Stanley Cup Opener

LOS ANGELES — Ilya Kuzmenko made a significant impression in his playoff debut with the Los Angeles Kings by earning three points in a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round on April 22, 2025.

Kuzmenko, acquired from the Calgary Flames before the NHL Trade Deadline, scored one goal and assisted on two others during the match at Crypto.Com Arena. His performance was praised by head coach Bruce Boudreau, who remarked on Kuzmenko’s skill and contributions to the team’s momentum.

“He’s done exceptional with the Kings, he’s a really skilled player,” Boudreau said. “From the circles down, he’s as good as there is handling pucks, a typical Russian sniper.”

In the match, Kuzmenko scored just 2:49 into the game on a power play and later assisted goals by Adrian Kempe and Phillip Danault. Boudreau added that the confidence boost from Kuzmenko’s past experiences has translated to his current performance with Los Angeles.

Before joining the Kings, Kuzmenko signed as an undrafted free agent with the Vancouver Canucks in June 2022. Under Boudreau’s guidance in Vancouver, Kuzmenko recorded 74 points in his first NHL season.

“Bruce gave me a good chance to play in the NHL and good ice time,” Kuzmenko said, reflecting on his journey and transitions among the teams. “Now it’s the same. This is a good coach [Jim Hiller] on this team, and I love it.”

The Kings, who are aiming for their first playoff series win since 2014, hope that Kuzmenko can continue to perform at a high level as they face the Oilers in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Kings captain Anze Kopitar emphasized Kuzmenko’s importance to the team, noting, “He’s been a really good addition for us.”

The Kings are looking to advance past the Oilers, who eliminated them in each of the last three postseason appearances.