Under the bright lights of Ball Arena, the stakes couldn’t have been higher as the Los Angeles Kings faced off against the Edmonton Oilers in a pivotal playoff showdown. What began as a promising night for the Kings quickly unraveled into controversy and disappointment, with head coach Jim Hiller’s critical third-period decision becoming the focal point of heated debate.

As tensions soared and the Oilers mounted a furious comeback, a controversial goal review—and the consequences that followed—shifted the momentum and left fans, analysts, and players alike questioning the call. With the Kings now facing a revitalized Oilers squad and the pressure of the postseason mounting, all eyes turn to the next chapter in this dramatic series.

Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Jim Hiller, the Los Angeles Kings head coach, is getting widely criticized for a costly decision in last night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Kings were in a position to take a 3-0 lead over the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs, but fell short and lost 7-4.

One of the game’s turning points occurred in the third period, when Evander Kane tied the game at 4, in his first game back in the lineup since last year’s Stanley Cup Finals.

The Oilers were swarming around the Kings’ net. After a long presence in the Kings’ zone, Kane scored with his skate, standing in the goaltender’s zone.

Kane seemed to kick the puck into the net with his skate, pushing Hiller to go to the video review on the play.

The referees proceeded to the review, and determined that the call on the ice was good and the goal was allowed. Then, the Oilers got a power play due to the Kings’ failed attempt.

Check out how it all went down here:

After the game, in his press conference, Hiller opened up on his decision, saying he thought there was goaltender interference on the play, but you never know what will happen when you challenge a call on the ice:

“We got a good look at it, we took plenty of time, and we felt it was goalie interference. So, we challenged it. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose on those, and tonight, we lost and it cost us big time. No other way around it.”

Evander Kane’s comments leaned in the same way, but added that the win helped the team build momentum for the fourth game of the series:

“I shot the puck into the net and knew it was just a matter of them seeing the replay. It felt good, and then they challenged it. You never know what can happen in those situations, but it was a good boost for our team and an important goal.

Then the power play goes out and does its thing. It’s a big win for our group and hopefully gives us some momentum going into Game 4, and we’ll have a chance to hold serve on home ice.”

The Oilers and the Kings will meet again on Sunday night, in Edmonton.