The Dallas Stars will take on the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 tonight at 7 p.m. as they look to avoid an even bigger deficit in the Western Conference Finals.
Dallas managed to take an early lead in the series after an impressive comeback in Game 1, though issues on both offense and defense have plagued Dallas in the last two matchups to give Edmonton the 2-1 series lead.
The Stars were outscored 9-1 in Games 2 and 3, resulting in two straight losses and the need for a new game plan heading into the second half of this series.
The biggest point of concern for Dallas comes in the form of a slow start, as the Stars have faced deficits in the first period in each of the last two games.
Edmonton claimed a slight 1-0 lead in the first period of Game 2 and took an even bigger lead in Game 3, leading 2-0 as the teams went into the locker rooms for the first intermission of the game.
Trailing early in the game often forces teams to change their strategy as the game progresses, forcing a more aggressive approach that can leave them vulnerable on the back end.
Dallas has also struggled with the Oilers’ physicality in the last two matchups.
Edmonton has racked up an incredible 97 hits across the last two games, while the Stars have managed to hit the Oilers just 59 times in that same stretch.
Neither team was incredibly physical during the regular season, as Dallas had the second-fewest hits and Edmonton had the fewest, but the Oilers have continually dominated the Stars in that regard during this series.
Dallas does not necessarily have to finish Game 4 with more hits than the Oilers, but closing that gap will help the Stars maintain a presence as the game comes to a close.
Despite the concerns through three games, multiple players and coaches have emphasized that the team needs to pick up just one win on the road to regain the home advantage.
Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel said after Game 3 that the team was always focused on winning one game in Edmonton, noting that there are still areas that can be taken advantage of in Game 4.
“We’re going to look at it and what we can do better, but then, it’s all about the next game. We have to win one game here on the road. That’s our goal,” he said, per NHL.com.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer expressed a similar sentiment after the loss, explaining that they “don’t have to win three games in this building” and should only focus on winning Game 4.
Following Game 4, both teams will travel back to the American Airlines Center for Game 5, which is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m.