Oilers-Stars Game 3 takeaways, early look at Game 4

While fans in edmonton and dallas are always singing about how they have friends in low places, only one of the western conferences finance. And that’s Oilers After their 6-1 Win Sunday in game 3 to take a 2-1 Series Lead.

With the series knotted 1-1 entering the contest, the objective for game 3 was a firm grasp of the conference finals, and the oilers did just that by the most players with the Multipoint Performance. As for the StarsLossing game 3 left Them trailing a series for just the second time this postseon, with the only Other Such Occurrence Form Game 1 Against the Colorado Avalanche In the quarterfinal round.

Now that the oilers are in control of the series, what does it mean for them to go forward? What must the stars do differently ahead of game 4 for them to return home tied rather than a game away from electing? Ryan S. Clark and Greg Wyshynski Examine Those Questions Whale delving Into What Lies ahead for Two Times That Not Only Faced Other in the Conference In The Confer Involved in every conference final since 2020.

Edmonton oilers
Grade: a

Much could change between now and when the playoffs end. But for now, the Argument could be made this was the most important plane playoff game the oilers have had this post.

The oilers have had a numerous strong performans, such as game 3 against the LOS ANGeles kings In the quarterfinal round or their final two games Against the Vegas golden knights In the conference semifinals. But What Made The Oilers’ Performance in Game 4 Against Dallas Arguably their Found A Balance Between Between Between the defense zone which To accomplish that objective.

The stars finished with 37 shots, 13 high-doner chances in 5-in-5 play and scored only once. Connor McDavid Has repeatedly stressed that the oilers can play defense, and that’s be made clear over their last five games. But sunday proved they didn’t need Stuart skinner Or their defensive structure to blank an opponent in order to win. ——- Ryan S. Clark

Dallas stars
Grade: C+

The final score does not reflect the Majority of this game, which dallas coach pete deboer can mine for positives among the many (many) negatives and some mitigating circumstances. Hawing Rooope hintz WARM UP BUT NOT BE Able to Go because of the foot injury He suffered from a Darnell nurse Slash in game 2? That’s deflating. Having the on -ce Officials miss a delay of game call on Brett ear In the first period only to have Evan bouchadrd Open the scoring 10 seconds Later? Also deflating.

So it is to the stars’ credit that they get to their game at 5-in-5 in game 3 bets than they have in any game of the series, at leaving beefore Edmonton Ran Up the score in the Third. The results would be there and a loss is a loss – and a loss by this Margin is different to stomach – but their second period and the perfect Glimmer.

However, there’s no question Edmonton has this thing in-hand and the stars have to find a way to save skinner, which is not something i thinkt i’d be writing at this stage of the posts. ——- Greg wyshynski

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Three Stars of Game 3

Two goals and an assist for his seventh career multigoal playoff game. Hyman’s second goal was the oilers’ Fourth off the rush, the most in one game by any team this post. Hyman Also was Plus-5 Sunday.

Bouchard Scored his Sixth Goal of the Postseason And Tho Were on the Ice for the first Two Edmonton Goals. At 5-in-5 this postseason, the oilers are outscoring their opponents 7-1, and 5-0 in this series, when bouchand and kulak are on the ace.

3. Connor mcdavid
C, oilers

For all the talk about the lack of goals from the best hockey player in the world (what was odd because the point in 13 games and was a Plus-7 entering game 3 despite hased only at GOLS), mcdavid Punched out a pair of tucks for his sixth career multigoal playoff game. Also, Seeing McDavid with the puck bareling side the net on a 3-on-1 is nightmare fuel for opponents. ——- Arda Öcal

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Players to watch in game 4

Zach Hyman
Lw, oilers

To go from 16 goals last postseason to just three goals entering game 3 of the conference finals is one way to association homan. Another is to realize that he was the most physical player on a team that is among the tallest and heaviest in the NHL.

Hyman Came Into Game 3 leading the NHL with 99 hits. He remained Physical Sunday By Leading The Way With Six Hits in A Game That Saw The Oilers Continue Their Punishing Style With 47 That physicality? It once Again Addes to the narrative that the oilers might not only have more dimensions there, they could be better than the team that finished Stanley Cup Runner -up in 2024. Clark

This is the first two-game losing streak for the dallas goaltender in the playoffs. A lot of what happened in game 3 wasnnnnn haim – a Connor McDavid Beauty and a Zach Hyman Breakaway Were Among The Edmonton Tallies-But Outside of the Third Period of Game 1, He’s not a difference-maker in this series. Oettinger cam in the game leading the playoffs with 5.58 Goals saved above exposed, according to status. The stars have been able to depend on Him as a slump-breaker. But this is his third game with a save performance south of .900 in the series. As the stars try to be on some positives from this game, they need otter to provide the foundation for it – and in the process, silence that “us backup!” Chants from the oilers fans. ——- Wyshynski

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BIG Questions for Game 4

Are the oilers about to do to the stars what they do to the Golden Knights?

Simply put, the oilers are where hope goes to die. Teams in a championship window that has yet to win a title is always being judged on their evolution. What the oilers do to the stars a year ago in the conference finals by winning the last three games showed that they could be close to a series after trailing. This PostSeason Edmonton has shown a calculated and methodical color when it comes to putting away opponents.

The Golden Knights Won Game 3 on a last-second goal to create the belief they may have found an opening. They don score again for the rest of the playoffs after being in the top five of the goals per game Throughout the Regular Season. Breaking out for six goals to open the series to be a sign the stars may have found an opening. Since then? They’ve scored only one once in the last six periods while what is happening to another team that want from being in the top five in the goals per game. ——- Clark

Can dallas make edmonton uncomfortable at all?

Our Collegue Mark Messier Made This point BetWeen Periods of Game 3: The stars have yet to get to get mcdavid or leon draisaitl off their games. That extends to the rest of the oilers. Outside of an anomalous run of three power-play goals in the Third Period of Game 1, there has been preceded by the stars carrying play for long stretches or putting a scare into edmonton at 5-

They had that for a bit in game 3 with a dominant second period: Plus-14 in shot attempts, Plus-11 in Scoring Chances and A 10-1 Advantage in High-Danger Shot Attempts. But they were digging out of a 2-0 hole, only managed to get one goal of their own on the boat and then mcdavid stuck a dagger in them with 19 seconds left in the second.

The stars need a lead. They need zone time. They need to get their rush game: Skinner Had A.897 Save Percentage on Shots Off the Rush Entering the game. Edmonton is playing with a champion’s confidence. Dallas has to find a way to inject a list of doubt in its opponent or this series is going to end Quickly. ——- Wyshynski