EDMONTON, AB — The Stars have an opportunity to take a stranglehold on their Western Conference Final series with Edmonton. A win in Game 4 would mean a commanding 3-1 lead. In NHL playoff history, teams that are up 3-1 go on to win the series 90.5% of the time.
Here are three things to consider before tonight’s game:
Poise under pressure
The Stars boast an NHL-best 6-1 road record this postseason. The main reason why was on display again in their Game 3 come-from-behind win.
In hostile territory, the Stars were able to regroup in the first intermission and for the second time in the series they erased a two-goal deficit.
Young players like Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven credit vets like Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski for setting the right tone. There’s a sense of calm that no matter the score or the game count in the series, the Stars can get back to their game and turn things around.
The Goalies
Jake Oettinger’s plays a vital role in the Stars ability to bounce back in games and series, too. He may not be perfect, but perhaps perfect for this team. He made several high-leverage saves when the Oilers took a two-goal lead in the first period, allowing the Stars a chance to come back.
Oettinger struggled through a tough time this season, causing some concern for Head Coach Pete DeBoer. But DeBoer says Oettinger never lost confidence. And it sure seems like those issues have allowed him to develop an undeniable sense of resiliency.
As for the Oilers, they’re sticking with Stuart Skinner for Game 4. Recall, Edmonton Coach Khris Knoblauch pulled Skinner when the Oilers trailed Vancouver 2-1 in their last series. Calvin Pickard played Games 3 and 4 in that series before Skinner returned.
So, there’s an opportunity here for the Stars: score early and put pressure on Skinner to try and create doubt. And that doubt could make the difference.
Roope's return
Stars center Roope Hintz made a big impact in his 2024 Western Conference Final debut. He had helpers on Jason Robertson’s first two goals, igniting a stunning rally that allowed the Stars to steal Game 3 in the Oilers home building.
Robertson credited Hintz for helping propel him to his first career postseason hat trick. It’s more than that though. Hintz's return also slotted the Stars other centers back in their familiar positions, allowing improvement up and down the Stars lines.
In Game 3, the Stars scored three goals in one period for the second time in this series, sending a clear message that they can hang with the lethal Oilers offense. And you can partially credit Hintz for that too.
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