NHL: Edmonton Scores Five Unanswered Goals, Ties Series 2-2
Oilers Outhit Stars 43-21, Sending Game-Five Message
The Dallas Stars (10-7, +8 goal differential) pick up where they left off in game three, scoring twice in the first 5:29, but they never beat Oiler goaltender Stuart Skinner as they watched Edmonton (10-6, +13) put on a defensive clinic, allowing just 22 total shots on net while snatching a 5-2 victory.
Oddsmakers have made Dallas a -130 home favorite with a total of 6 (under -120).
Expert Pick: Subscribe below to get our Premium Insights!
Expert Pick: Subscribe below to get our Premium Insights!The Oilers vs Stars puckline has the Stars -1.5 (+200), and Edmonton +1.5 (-240). Game five is scheduled for Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT and can be seen on TNT, truTV, and MAX.
Edmonton Oilers vs Dallas Stars
📅Day/Time:
📍Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
📺Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
Stars Face The Possibility Of Massive Loss On Blue Line
It was bad enough that Dallas blew a 2-0 goal lead but in the second period, defensemen Chris Tanev (0 goals, 1 assist, +6) left the game with a lower-body injury and did not return.
If Tanev misses time for Pete DeBoer, that is a massive loss for the Stars blue line. The game four loss may be a turning point in the series because a win could have paved the way for the Stars to roll into the Stanley Cup Final.
Dallas scored twice on the first four shots of the game, but Dallas was never able to deliver the kill shot after the Stars seemed to take their foot off the gas. After the Oilers took a 3-2 lead on a Mattias Janmark (2 goals, 2 assists) short-handed goal at the 14:31 mark of the second period, the Stars were never able to recover.
Nothing affects NHL scores more than losing a top defenseman and that’s what the Stars may be forced to deal with. Tanev’s injury occurred after blocking an Evander Kane wrist shot which looked like it glanced off his ankle or foot. DeBoer said that his fingers are crossed for his return in a critical game five.
The replacement options are not the best with Nils Lundkvist (0 goals, 1 assist, Even) but the 23-year-old, 5-11 defenseman played just 59 games this season and isn’t a guy that DeBoer trusts to take over heavy minutes.
He barely plays five minutes a night. Veteran Derrick Pouliot has played in just five games all season and Lian Bichel has never played a game in the NHL. That should give bettors a proper feel for how big it is for Tanev to play in game five.
Oilers Overcome Morning Heat
Those at morning skate on Wednesday described the session as tense after another typical Oiler game where they lost a lead against a mentally tougher team.
Some insiders suggested that the Oilers were skating with uncertain legs, feeling the pressure after falling behind in the series 2-1 after blowing a 2-0 lead.
There were questions about how ineffective defensemen Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci have been. Stuart Skinner continued to show why most think the Stars have an edge in goal.
The mood was heavy and carried into the first ten minutes of game four. Then Edmonton showed something they haven’t in the past and that mental toughness with the Stars one goal away from opening the door to the Stanley Cup Final.
We give a ton of praise for how the usually fragile Oilers didn’t break in the series at the most critical moment while head coach Chris Knobaluch continued a calm demeanor on the bench when he could have been a raving lunatic in the first 10 minutes.
With this being the deepest any Edmonton team has gone in the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisitl era, bettors must view this team differently than we have in the past.
With Tanev out of the game, DeBoer had to shuffle his blue line, and that gave Edmonton all it needed to neutralize a key strength of Dallas as they gained an advantage on the rush against a depleted defensive core.
It was the first time we thought Edmonton should continue to push the pace. We end our Oilers vs Stars puckline preview with our official selection.
Home Ice Has Not Been Friendly To Dallas
The Dallas Stars schedule says they must head back to the American Airlines center but if you ask the team, they would likely prefer to stay on the road.
The Stars are 4-5 at home this postseason (-2.19 units) while 6-2 on the road (+3.74 units). As a favorite, DeBoer’s team is 6-5 and just 17-13 (-0.90 units) over the last three playoff runs.
Edmonton has been a strong road wager with a 5-3 (+0.72 units) record. Another indication that perhaps this team is different than in years past where the Oilers were just 7-9 (-3.13) since 2021. With all indications pointing to Edmonton, we understand that what is supposed to happen in this series rarely does.
There are some early indications, that Tanev will be in the line-up, alleviating a major concern. We can’t overlook coaching and Pete DeBoer is one of the best.
We believe the veteran coach will adjust regardless of Tanev’s availability. Our official Oilers vs Stars puckline preview selection is the Dalla Stars -1.5 (+200). All the best with your NHL picks and parlays
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