In the Smythe Division Finals, the Oilers faced the Los Angeles Kings, the team that eliminated the Oilers from the playoffs the previous season. In Game One, the Oilers served notice that this time would be different, dominating from start to finish and cruising to an easy 7-0 victory. It was Bill Ranford's first career playoff shutout. Game Two was much closer for the first 45 minutes, as the Oilers held a slim 2-1 lead before scoring 4 goals in the final 6 minutes en route to an easy 6-1 victory. Game Three in Los Angeles saw the Kings jump out to a 3-1 first period lead before the Oilers scored 4 unanswered goals en route to a 5-4 win. Game Four was another high-scoring battle as the teams traded goals throughout regulation, and the game was tied 5-5 at the end of three periods. Joe Murphy scored in the first overtime to clinch the sweep for Edmonton. The Oilers got their revenge for the previous season's playoff loss, sweeping the Kings 4-0 and outscoring them 24-10. Oilers forward Esa Tikkanen almost totally neutralized Wayne Gretzky throughout the series with relentless checking and sound positional play, holding Gretzky to a single point in the entire series.