The Dallas Stars entered the third period on Wednesday in need of a dramatic change of fortunes. Through 40 minutes of Game One in the Western Conference Final, the Edmonton Oilers held a 3-1 lead on the scoreboard. A pair of unanswered second period goals staked the Oilers to a two-goal edge.
In the first period, Leon Draisaitl (right circle snipe) and Tyler Seguin (breakaway wrister) traded off one goal apiece. However, the Stars uncharacteristically had several shifts in which they were hemmed in their own zone, unable to break out. Edmonton looked like the more dangerous club. Additionally, the Stars were unable to capitalize on the game’s first power play.
The second stanza was a lower-event period overall. Nevertheless, there was one concerning sign. The Dallas penalty kill, which had been rather airtight through most of the first two rounds of the playoffs, yielded a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power play goal on Dallas’s first PK opportunity of the game. Connor McDavid and Draisaitl assisted. Subsequently, just 1:40 after the RNH goal, defenseman Evan Bouchard opened a 3-1 advantage for the Oilers. Nugent-Hopkins and Draisaitl collected the apples.
The Oilers took their two-goal lead to the second intermission. Moreover, Edmonton also led in shots on goal, 21-19.
Suddenly, in the third period, the tide turned. The Oilers got into penalty trouble, starting with a carryover Brett Kulak hooking penalty from late in the second period. Penalty killing has been the Oilers’ weak spot in these playoffs. The problem only worsened for Kris Knoblauch’s club on Wednesday.
Third period: reversal of fortune
Thirty-two seconds into the third period, Miro Heiskanen’s first goal of the playoffs cut the Dallas deficit to 3-2. Corey Perry took a careless high sticking penalty at 2:51. The Stars’ power play promptly tied game, 3-3. Heiskanen and Seguin set up Mikael Granlund’s fifth postseason tally. Next, at 5:47, Evander Kane’s high-sticking penalty put the Stars on the power play yet again.
Another Dallas goal felt inevitable with Edmonton reeling. Sure enough, a mere 11 seconds after play resumed, Matt Duchene’s long-elusive first goal of the 2025 postseason put the Stars in the lead, 4-3. Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen assisted.
The Stars limited the Oilers to just six shots on goal in the game’s final frame. Notably, this included a mid-period Lian Bischel hooking minor. The Dallas penalty kill stepped up and preserved the one-goal edge. With 3:58 remaining in regulation, Seguin’s second goal of the game provided welcomed insurance for Pete DeBoer’s club. Sam Steel and Jason Robertson assisted.
The Oilers pulled Stuart Skinner (22 saves on 27 shots) for an extra attacker. Finally, Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell tacked on an empty net goal to close out the scoring in a 6-3 victory. Jake Oettinger earned the win with 24 saves on 27 shots.
Turning point
No mystery to this one: the Stars took full advantage of the Oilers’ penalty killing woes. Edmonton has to come up with a solution in a hurry. They also need to be more careful with their sticks. The customary end-of-game fracas will not carry over in the series.However, the special teams issue looms large.
What’s next
Game Two will be played at American Airlines Center on Friday evening (7:00 p.m. CDT). The scene shifts to Alberta on Sunday afternoon for Game Three.
