The Edmonton Oilers tied their Round 1 Stanley Cup Playoff series vs. the Los Angeles Kings after a stunning 4-3 overtime victory on Sunday night (April 27). Evan Bouchard tied the game with 29 seconds left, and Leon Draisaitl won it with under two minutes remaining in the first overtime. The Oilers were down by two goals after 40 minutes and were outplayed in almost every facet. But they flipped the script in the third period and dominated the rest of the game, including overtime. In the final 38 minutes, Edmonton controlled the play with a 33-13 shot advantage. Related: 4 Takeaways From Oilers’ Thrilling 4-3 OT Win Over Kings in Game 4 Head coach Kris Knoblauch has made his share of questionable decisions this season, especially with the lineup. But he’s become a master at recognizing when something is or isn’t working and adjusting on the fly. His in-game adjustments often provide a much-needed spark, like they did against the Kings in Game 4. Knoblauch is the “king” of in-game adjustments, pun intended. Knoblauch Shuffled the Defence Pairs The defensive pair of Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard was a disaster. Knoblauch put that pair together to start Game 4, and they got caved in all situations. They were on the ice for all three Kings’ goals within the first 30 minutes before finally being separated. The coaching staff has played them together before, and it didn’t work, so what makes them think it would work this time, especially against the Kings’ strong forecheck? The Oilers desperately miss Mattias Ekholm, but even without him, there are other options. However, the coaching staff realized their mistake and made the crucial adjustment to split them up, which paid dividends. After the split, Bouchard drastically improved his play. He’s a polarizing figure in Oil Country, but he steps up in big moments and is a clutch performer. He scored massive goals in Games 3 and 4, but he also made critical defensive plays and smart pinches along the boards to create turnovers, especially in overtime. As long as they keep Bouchard and Nurse far away from each other, the team will be just fine. Knoblauch Loads up the Big Guns at the Right Time When the lineup gets announced after the morning skate, take it with a grain of salt because it likely won’t be that way by the second period. Knoblauch loves to shuffle the deck based on performance and the situation. In Game 4, McDavid started the game with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman, but by the end, McDavid was playing with Draisaitl and Corey Perry. Such lineup adjustments sparked the rest of the team. Perry being elevated to that line is a testament to how well he’s playing. His tenacity, hockey IQ, and ability to create net-front opportunities complement the big guns. Knoblauch recognized that and utilized that trio effectively. It also allowed Nugent-Hopkins to centre a line with Zach Hyman and Evander Kane, who were tremendous in overtime and generated quality chances. The biggest concern with loading up McDavid and Draisaitl is how it affects the rest of the lineup and where the secondary scoring will come from. However, if Nugent-Hopkins, Hyman, and Kane’s new-look second line provides offence, it allows flexibility. The coaching staff can keep their superstars together for longer stretches when other lines are effective. Knoblauch Is Out-Coaching Jim Hiller Knoblauch out-coached Kings head coach Jim Hiller in Games 3 and 4, resulting in Edmonton crawling back into this series. LA has outplayed the Oilers for large stretches, but coaching cost them two games, and Hiller seemed rattled. After Game 4, Hiller was asked about what third-period adjustments could help close out games, and he brushed it off by saying “next question” to the reporter. He hasn’t made good decisions or adjusted accordingly, so that question was valid. Kris Knoblauch, Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) In Game 4, he shortened his bench. The game lasted nearly 80 minutes, and three players played less than three minutes each, and one player played under six minutes. That’s not sustainable over a long series when fatigue becomes an issue. The Oilers utilized every player in overtime except for Ty Emberson and exploited a tired Kings squad. Edmonton dominated play for the first time in the series during the third period and overtime. Hiller made a questionable decision to challenge goaltender interference on Edmonton’s tying goal in Game 3, which came back to bite them. Not only did the goal count, but the Oilers scored on the ensuing power play to give them the lead, which was the turning point. In Game 4, the Kings scored, giving them a 2-0 lead, which could’ve been challenged for goaltender interference because it appeared that the pad was shoved out of the way, resulting in a goal. However, Knoblauch didn’t challenge, seeing what happened in the previous game. Goaltender interference is a grey area, and challenges can go either way. So, Edmonton made the smart choice not to challenge, and it paid off. Knoblauch doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Hiller is making poor decisions, but Knoblauch is capitalizing on those mistakes. Right now, one coach is making the necessary adjustments, and one isn’t, as the Oilers head into Game 5 on Tuesday with all the confidence and momentum. Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL news and rumours throughout the postseason.