Oilers beat Stars 4-1, take a
commanding 3-1 lead in Western Conference final series
[May 28, 2025]
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Edmonton Oilers are one win away
from a return trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry each had a power-play goal and an
assist and the Oilers took a commanding lead in the Western
Conference final series with a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on
Tuesday night.
Kasperi Kapanen and Adam Henrique added empty-net goals, and Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid each had two assists for the
Oilers took a 3-1 lead in the series by winning three consecutive
games after a third-period collapse cost them the opening game in
Dallas. Since that game, Edmonton has outscored Dallas 13-2.
Draisaitl said it was far from easy in Game 4.
“There are going to be some swings in a series. They’re one of the
last four teams standing, so they’re going to have their push, and
there’s going to be periods where they control the play. That’s just
the way it is,” Draisaitl said.
“But I think we’ve managed it really well. (goalie Stuart Skinner)
has been incredible when we needed him to be, and our third period
was really well played.”
The Oilers are now 9-0 in Game 4s over their past three playoff
runs.
Skinner continued to shine in the Edmonton net, making 28 saves in
the win.
“How we all played as a team was fantastic and shows a lot of
courage, the way that guys are blocking shots,” Skinner said. “For
myself, it definitely felt good out there. I’m just trying to give
my team the best chance that I possibly can every night.”
Jason Robertson scored for the Stars, who are in danger of being
eliminated in the West final by the Oilers for the second year in a
row.
“It’s time to reset again, it’s not over until somebody wins four
games,” said Stars forward Mikko Rantanen, who has been held
scoreless for seven straight games after scoring nine goals in the
six previous games. “So, now we go on home ice and it’s just one
game at a time. I mean, I don’t even think really what the series
is, it’s just try to win one game and come back to Alberta.”
[to top of second column] |
Dallas Stars' Esa Lindell (23) chases down Edmonton Oilers' Leon
Draisaitl (29) as he gets a shot away during second period NHL
Western Conference final playoff action, in Edmonton on Tuesday, May
27, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Jake Oettinger recorded 29 stops while taking the
loss in the Dallas net, falling to 5-11 in his career in West final
contests.
After surviving a flurry of Dallas chances to start the game, the
Oilers started the scoring on the power play with 8:37 to play in
the opening period as Nugent-Hopkins kept up his hot play in the
series, feeding it to Draisaitl who beat Oettinger with a one-timer
from a bad angle for his seventh of the playoffs.
There was some cause for concern for Edmonton in the first frame,
however, as forward Zach Hyman took an open ice hit from Mason
Marchment and left the game with an upper-body injury and did not
return.
The Stars tied the game at 1-1 seven minutes into the second period
on a nice power-play passing play as Robertson picked the top corner
on Skinner for his second goal of the playoffs in as many games.
Edmonton regained the lead on another power play as Nugent-Hopkins
made a perfect pass to Perry for an easy tap-in for his sixth,
making him just the fifth player aged 40 and older to score in a
conference final.
It was Nugent-Hopkins’ fourth consecutive multipoint performance,
becoming the first player in 35 years to accomplish that feat in a
conference final, and the first Oiler to have nine or more points
through the first four games of a conference final since Wayne
Gretzky 37 years ago.
Stars forward Roope Hintz returned to the lineup after missing a
game. He was helped off the ice late in the third period of Game 2
after being slashed on the top of the left foot by Oilers defenseman
Darnell Nurse.
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