DALLAS — The Dallas Stars, who have struggled on home ice this playoff run, dropped another game at the American Airlines Center on Friday night.
The Stars were 3-5 at home in the postseason prior to Friday's game, and Edmonton dominated Dallas to take a 3-2 series lead, defeating the Stars 3-1.
Power play production had been non-existent all series long until Friday night. In the first four games, Edmonton was 0-for-6 on the power play. Dallas was 0-for-9.
That changed in Game 5. And it did not favor Dallas.
Edmonton opened up the scoring in the first period on the power play after Ryan Suter was called for roughing on Connor McDavid. A clapper from just below the top of the zone deflected off of Oettinger and fell right to the stick of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who buried home the first power-play goal of the series.
Nugent-Hopkins found the back of the net for a second time (on the power play again) in the second period to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead. Philip Broberg piled on another goal on the top shelf for the Oilers minutes later to silence the American Airlines Center crowd.
In the end, Edmonton went on the power play three times for a total of four penalty minutes compared to Dallas two power plays for six minutes.
Wyatt Johnson ended the Stars' draught with a redirect into the net with just over five minutes left in the third period. Dallas had gone 108 minutes and 40 seconds of ice time without scoring a goal, dating back to Esa Lindell's first period goal in Game 4.
The health of defenseman Chris Tanev, who left Game 4 with an injury after he blocked a shot with his right lower leg, was a key storyline heading into Game 5. Tanev was seen donning a walking boot after Game 4, which put his availability into question hours before the puck dropped Friday. The boot disappeared – or perhaps morphed into dress shoes – as the defenseman walked into the AAC and suited up. Tanev logged 25 shifts for 19 minutes and 12 seconds on the ice for the Stars in Game 5.
Dallas last made a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2020 during the COVID "bubble" season. The Stars lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning that year, 4-2. The last (and only) Stanley Cup championship in Dallas Stars history was in 1999 when the Stars beat the Buffalo Sabres in six games.
The series heads back to Edmonton for Game 6, where the Stars will look to force a decisive Game 7. Game 6 will start at 7 p.m. CST and air on TNT.
The Stars have been road warriors in this playoff run, accumulating a 6-2 record away from the AAC.
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