In the Western Conference Final, the Edmonton Oilers have seized control, taking a 2-1 series lead against the Dallas Stars with a dominant 6-1 victory in Game 3. While fans in both cities might sing about having friends in low places, it`s the Oilers who now occupy the high ground.
Entering Sunday`s game with the series tied, the objective was clear: gain a firm advantage. Edmonton achieved this decisively, showcasing a multipoint performance from five different players. For the Stars, this loss marks the second time this postseason they`ve trailed in a series, the first being after Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche.
With the Oilers now in command, what does this mean for the rest of the series? What adjustments must the Stars make before Game 4 to avoid being pushed to the brink of elimination on the road? Hockey analysts Ryan S. Clark and Greg Wyshynski delve into these questions, examining the implications for two teams that have a recent history in the conference finals, between them participating in every WCF since 2020.
Edmonton Oilers – Grade: A
This Game 3 victory could arguably be the Oilers` most crucial playoff performance this season. While they`ve had strong outings previously, what made this win against Dallas particularly important was the balance they demonstrated. They were defensively sound without needing a shutout to succeed.
Despite the Stars generating 37 shots and 13 high-danger chances at 5-on-5, they managed only one goal. Connor McDavid`s consistent message about the Oilers` defensive capability has been evident over their last five games. Sunday proved they could combine solid defense and goaltending (Stuart Skinner) with offensive firepower to secure a win, showing they don`t solely rely on blanking opponents. — Ryan S. Clark
Dallas Stars – Grade: C+
The lopsided final score doesn`t fully represent significant portions of Game 3, where Dallas coach Pete DeBoer can find some positives amid numerous negatives and mitigating factors. Losing Roope Hintz after warmups due to injury was deflating. A missed delay-of-game penalty on Brett Kulak just seconds before Evan Bouchard opened the scoring was equally frustrating.
Despite these setbacks, credit is due to the Stars for playing better at 5-on-5 in Game 3 than in previous games, at least before Edmonton pulled away in the third period. While the desired results weren`t there, and a loss, especially by this margin, is hard to swallow, their second-period play and glimpses from some depth players offer a faint glimmer of hope.
However, there`s no denying Edmonton holds the momentum. The Stars desperately need to find a way to beat Stuart Skinner, a challenge few expected at this stage. — Greg Wyshynski
Three Stars of Game 3
1. Zach Hyman, LW, Oilers: With two goals and an assist, Hyman recorded his seventh career multigoal playoff game. His second goal was the Oilers` fourth off the rush, a season high for any team in a single playoff game. Hyman also finished with a remarkable plus-5 rating.
2. Evan Bouchard/Brett Kulak, D, Oilers: Bouchard scored his sixth goal of the postseason. This defensive pairing was on the ice for the Oilers` first two goals. At 5-on-5 this postseason, Edmonton has outscored opponents 7-1 with Bouchard and Kulak on the ice, including a 5-0 advantage in this series.
3. Connor McDavid, C, Oilers: Despite recent discussion about his goal scoring pace (though he had 20 points in 13 games entering Game 3), McDavid netted two goals for his sixth career multigoal playoff game. His ability to charge toward the net, especially on odd-man rushes, remains a nightmare for opposing teams. — Arda Öcal
Players to Watch in Game 4
Zach Hyman, LW, Oilers: While his goal total entering Game 3 (three) was significantly lower than last postseason (16), Hyman has been a physical force for the Oilers, a team known for its size. Leading the NHL in hits entering Game 3 with 99, he added six more on Sunday as Edmonton delivered 47 hits as a team. Combining this physicality with a three-point performance, including two goals, reinforces the narrative that this Oilers team might be more multidimensional and potentially better than the 2024 Stanley Cup runner-up squad. — Clark
Jake Oettinger, G, Stars: This is the first time the Dallas goaltender has lost two consecutive games in the playoffs. While not entirely at fault for Game 3`s goals (including a McDavid highlight and a Hyman breakaway), Oettinger hasn`t been a series-stealer since the third period of Game 1. He entered the game leading the playoffs in goals saved above expected (according to Stathletes), typically serving as a slump-breaker for the team. However, this was his third game in the series with a save percentage below .900. As the Stars try to build on limited positives, they desperately need Oettinger to provide a strong foundation and silence the opposing crowd. — Wyshynski
Big Questions for Game 4
Are the Oilers about to repeat their performance against the Golden Knights? Simply put, the Oilers have become a place where opponents` hopes go to die. Teams in a championship window are constantly judged on their evolution. Edmonton`s comeback to win the final three games against the Stars in last season`s WCF demonstrated their ability to close out a series from behind. This postseason, they`ve shown a calculated, cold approach to finishing off opponents.
The Golden Knights gained hope with a last-second goal in Game 3 of their series against Edmonton but didn`t score again for the remainder of the playoffs, despite being a top-five offensive team. Similarly, the Stars` six goals in Game 1 seemed promising, but they`ve scored just once in the subsequent six periods, facing questions about their offense which was also top-five in the regular season. — Clark
Can Dallas make Edmonton uncomfortable at all? As commentator Mark Messier noted, the Stars haven`t found a way to disrupt the games of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. This applies to the entire Oilers team. Beyond a brief flurry of power-play goals in Game 1`s third period, Dallas has had very few sustained stretches where they dictated play or truly threatened Edmonton at 5-on-5.
They achieved this somewhat in Game 3 with a dominant second period (plus-14 shot attempts, plus-11 scoring chances, 10-1 high-danger attempts), but they were already down 2-0, managed only one goal, and then McDavid delivered a dagger with 19 seconds left in the period. The Stars need to play with a lead, control zone time, and generate offense off the rush (Skinner`s save percentage on rush shots was below .900 entering the game). Edmonton is playing with championship confidence; Dallas must inject doubt into their opponent quickly, or this series could end swiftly. — Wyshynski
