While fans in Edmonton and Dallas might enjoy songs about low places, only one team holds the dominant position in the Western Conference finals. That team is the Oilers, who secured a 2-1 series lead with a convincing 6-1 victory in Game 3 on Sunday.
Entering Sunday with the series tied, Game 3 was crucial for establishing control. The Oilers achieved this decisively, with five players contributing multiple points. For the Stars, the Game 3 loss puts them behind in a series for the second time this postseason, the first being after Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round.
With the Oilers now in control, what does this mean for their path forward? What adjustments must the Stars make before Game 4 to tie the series instead of facing elimination? Ryan S. Clark and Greg Wyshynski explore these questions, looking ahead for two teams that met in the conference finals last year and have collectively appeared in every conference final since 2020.
Edmonton Oilers Grade: A
While much could change as the playoffs continue, Sunday`s Game 3 performance might arguably be the Oilers` most significant yet this postseason. They`ve had numerous strong showings, such as Game 3 against the Los Angeles Kings or their final two games against the Vegas Golden Knights.
However, what made their Game 3 against Dallas arguably most important was finding a balance between strong defense and not solely relying on a shutout for success. The Stars managed 37 shots and 13 high-danger chances at 5-on-5 but scored only once. As Connor McDavid has consistently emphasized, the Oilers are capable defensively, a point underlined by their play over the last five games. Sunday proved they could win decisively without needing Stuart Skinner or their defensive structure to completely blank the opponent.
Dallas Stars Grade: C+
The final score doesn`t entirely reflect the dynamic of Game 3, and Dallas coach Pete DeBoer has aspects to focus on despite the many negatives and mitigating factors. Having Roope Hintz warm up but be unable to play due to the foot injury sustained from a Darnell Nurse slash in Game 2 was deflating. The missed delay-of-game call on Brett Kulak in the first period, immediately followed by Evan Bouchard opening the scoring 10 seconds later, was also disheartening.
Despite this, it`s to the Stars` credit that their 5-on-5 game improved in Game 3 compared to previous games in the series, at least before Edmonton piled on goals in the third period. The desired results weren`t there – a loss is a loss, especially one by this margin – but their second-period play and glimpses from some depth players offer a small glimmer of hope.
However, there`s no doubt Edmonton has a firm grip on the series. The Stars urgently need to find a way to solve Stuart Skinner, which is a challenge few expected at this stage of the postseason.
Three Stars of Game 3
1. Zach Hyman, LW, Oilers
Hyman recorded two goals and an assist, marking his seventh career multi-goal playoff game. His second goal was the Oilers` fourth scored off a rush in the game, the most by any team this postseason. Hyman also finished with a plus-5 rating on Sunday.
2. Evan Bouchard/Brett Kulak, D, Oilers
Bouchard scored his sixth playoff goal, and this defensive pair was on the ice for the Oilers` first two goals. At 5-on-5 this postseason, the Oilers have outscored opponents 7-1 when Bouchard and Kulak are on the ice, including a 5-0 advantage in this series.
3. Connor McDavid, C, Oilers
Despite previous discussions about his goal tally (having 20 points but only three goals entering Game 3), McDavid netted a pair for his sixth career multi-goal playoff game. Seeing McDavid charging towards the net with the puck on a 3-on-1 is undeniably terrifying for opponents.
Players to Watch in Game 4
Zach Hyman, LW, Oilers
While his goal production was lower entering Game 3 compared to the previous postseason (3 goals vs 16), Hyman has been a standout physical force for the Oilers, one of the NHL`s tallest and heaviest teams. He led the league with 99 hits coming into Game 3 and remained physical on Sunday with six hits in a game where the Oilers delivered 47 hits overall.
His performance in Game 3 – adding two goals and three points to his consistent physicality – further strengthens the argument that this Oilers team might possess more dimensions than last season`s group and could even be better than the team that finished as Stanley Cup runner-up in 2024.
Jake Oettinger, G, Stars
This marks the first time the Dallas goaltender has lost two consecutive games in the playoffs. While many of the goals allowed in Game 3 weren`t solely his fault (including a McDavid beauty and a Hyman breakaway), outside of the third period in Game 1, he hasn`t been a series-altering difference-maker. Oettinger entered the game leading the playoffs with 5.58 goals saved above expected, according to Stathletes. The Stars have typically relied on him to break slumps, but this is his third game in the series with a save percentage below .900. As the Stars try to build on any positives from Game 3, they desperately need Oettinger to provide a solid foundation – and perhaps silence those `U.S. backup!` chants from the Oilers fans.
Key Questions for Game 4
Are the Oilers poised to repeat their performance against the Golden Knights versus the Stars?
Simply put, the Oilers have become a team where opponent hope is extinguished. Teams in a championship window are constantly judged on their evolution. What the Oilers did to the Stars last year in the conference finals, winning the last three games after trailing, showed their ability to close out a series. This postseason, Edmonton has demonstrated a calculated and methodical approach to eliminating opponents.
The Golden Knights won Game 3 on a last-second goal, creating belief they had found a weakness. They didn`t score again for the remainder of the playoffs, despite being a top-five offensive team in the regular season. The Stars` six goals to open this series seemed promising, but since then, they`ve scored only once in the past six periods. Questions are now being raised about the sudden silence from another team that ranked in the top five for goals per game during the regular season.
Can Dallas genuinely make Edmonton uncomfortable?
As noted by our colleague Mark Messier, the Stars have yet to consistently disrupt players like McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, or the Oilers as a whole. Outside of an unusual sequence of three power-play goals in the third period of Game 1, there have been very few instances where the Stars have sustained pressure for long stretches or truly threatened Edmonton at 5-on-5.
They had a period of dominance in the second period of Game 3, with a plus-14 shot attempt differential, plus-11 in scoring chances, and a 10-1 advantage in high-danger chances. However, they were already down 2-0, only managed one goal themselves during that stretch, and then McDavid delivered a crushing blow with a goal just 19 seconds before the period ended.
The Stars desperately need to get a lead. They need more zone time. They need to activate their rush game; Skinner had a .897 save percentage on shots off the rush entering the game. Edmonton is playing with the confidence of a potential champion. Dallas must find a way to inject some doubt into their opponent, or this series could conclude rapidly.
