In a crucial four-point matchup, the Kings will welcome the Edmonton Oilers to town on Thursday night, the team they trail by a solitary point for second place in the Pacific Division.

Several injured Kings have been progressing toward returns, though Coach Todd McLellan was non-committal as to his lineup on Wednesday. Wingers Dustin Brown and Brendan Lemieux as well as defenseman Matt Roy have been engaged in practice, while winger Andreas Athanasiou has participated on a more limited basis.

“We could gain and lose some (bodies), the way it’s going,” McLellan said. “We’ll probably have to make one decision, some decisions will be made for us as far as bumps and bruises.”

The Kings have seen some renewed vigor on special teams, especially the penalty kill, which has been the eighth most effective unit in the NHL since March 1.

“The penalty kill is improving. The power play had a little spike,” McLellan said. “Now it’s back, somewhat, and it needs to get better.”

The Kings have an opportunity to even the season series in their final meeting with Edmonton (41-25-5). In the first three matchups, the Kings (38-24-10) built confidence from a 5-1 victory in Edmonton on Dec. 5 but lost at home by a similar margin, 5-2, on Feb. 15. The Kings battled back from a 3-1 deficit to force a shootout last Wednesday in Canada, but Edmonton prevailed.

In the Kings’ most recent game, a 3-2 loss to Calgary, Adrian Kempe lit the lamp twice. McLellan noted that while Kempe recently had a double-digit-game scoring slump, he had otherwise been considerably more consistent and, as a result, much more productive this season. He joined Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli as the only 30-goal scorers for the Kings since the 2009-10 season.

One constant, seemingly since its two stars entered the league, has been Edmonton’s duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They were the first two players to 100 points this season. McDavid, 25, crossed the threshold against the Kings last week and Draisaitl, 26, surpassed the mark against the Ducks on Sunday. This has been McDavid’s fifth 100-point season and Draisaitl’s fourth. McDavid was robbed of another – when play was suspended in 2019-20, he was sitting on 97 points – though even last year’s truncated campaign did not deny him as he put up 105 points in 56 games.

Both members of the Oilers’ tandem scored in regulation and then again in the shootout against the Kings last week. McDavid had two points and Draisaitl added another. They did the same in the February clash, though both were held scoreless in December’s meeting.

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Both McDavid (106) and Draisaitl (101) have more than twice as many points as the next most prolific Oiler, winger Zach Hyman, who has 48. Edmonton, which has won five in a row, is 11-2-1 in its last 14 games. During that span, McDavid has 27 points across a 14-game scoring streak, while Draisaitl has 22 points and has recorded at least one in his last 12 games, though he missed Tuesday’s game against San Jose with an undisclosed injury.

In San Jose, the Oilers triumphed in overtime off a breakaway goal from McDavid, that was set up by a beautiful pass by goalie Mike Smith. Smith, whom Kings fans likely recall from 2012’s Western Conference finals matchup with the Arizona Coyotes, has won his past three decisions and his only start against the Kings this year. No. 1 goalie Mikko Koskinen has split a pair of appearances against the Kings this season.

EDMONTON AT KINGS

When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Crypto.com Arena

TV/Radio: Bally Sports West / iHeartRadio