After dropping the series’ first game, the Dallas Stars have become an unstoppable force against the Edmonton Oilers, winning back-to-back games.
The Stars now look for a third win on the road on Wednesday.
The Stars showed just how much character the team has developed under head coach Pete DeBoer’s guidance. Down two in the first period, the Stars fought through the deficit to take Game 3 with a final score of 5-3.
“We’ve got an honest group,” DeBoer told reporters after the game, per Star Local Media. “I think it was just about resetting. We knew Edmonton would come out hard. I think it was a perfect storm. They scored early in the first period, got the crowd into it, got some momentum. We couldn’t get any (offensive) zone shifts to kind of take some pressure off. They did a good job. I thought the second period was a chance to reset and get to our game.”
Keeping the pressure on the Oilers will be vital if the Stars are to take another win and bring the best-of-seven series one step closer to sending Dallas to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The return of Stars’ Roope Hintz added a new level of danger against the Oilers’ defense. The burly forward contributed two assists to Jason Robertson, who finished the game with a hat trick.
The Oilers are favored to win on May 29, but will need a significantly better defensive performance to avoid a three-game losing streak.
Feeding Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be essential for the Oilers to avoid another loss. McDavid has been a shooting machine at Rogers Palace, and Draisaitl is arguably one of the best centers in the NHL. The pair are the highest-point players in the league, per The Hockey News.
The Stars have managed to largely contain the pair, particularly on power plays when they are the most dangerous. The Oilers are 0-for-5 on power play opportunities against Dallas.
“Our power play needs to do a better job of creating momentum for the group,” admitted Draisaitl. “We haven’t done a very good job of that in this series. It’s very simple. Just go out and win one game.”
The Stars have been one of the best road teams all season and are 6-1 on the road in the postseason. Despite their stunning record, the Oilers are favored on most betting lines for Game 4.
A win for Dallas would put the series one game from advancing, while a victory by Edmonton would even it up at two apiece.
Sportsbook currently has the Dallas Stars as the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. At various times during the season, the Oilers have also been favorites. The series’ victor will face the Eastern Conference winner, which is currently tied 2-2 between the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers.
The Oilers and the Stars will play Game 4 at 7:30 p.m. CT on May 29 at Rogers Palace in Edmonton, Alberta.