The Oilers get some home cooking as they return to Edmonton for Game 3 with the series tied 1-1. The puck drops at 8:30 pm EST.
There’s no doubt the city of Edmonton, and the whole country of Canada, has come alive and will do its part in the Oilers’ first home game of the series.
However, statistically, home ice has not been the same advantage in this playoffs as in years past. Home teams in the post-season have a record of 33-40, which works out to a .452 winning percentage.
The Oilers are 4-2 at home, while the Stars are 5-1 on the road, so maybe one washes the other out.
Special teams have also been a wash as advantages for both sides appear to be at a minimum heading into Game 3.
Same Old Conversation Around Oilers
The narratives heading into this series are the same ones being talked about after two games.
Depth vs. depth, goaltending vs. goaltending, and special teams vs. special teams. Who will prevail? Who will have the edge? Well, no matter how slim the margins, the Stars are winning all of those battles. It’s going to be difficult for the Oilers to rise above it but they have the talent, and the coaching to do it.
No matter how tired this conversation may become, the facts remain the same: McDavid, Draisaitl, and Hyman have to produce or the Oilers can’t win.
After waiting all spring for the depth to show some life, we’re getting to the point where they are what they are, and the big three have to be what they are.
Skinner has been phenomenal through two games, and of course, they need that to continue heading into Monday night. Dallas has been one of the least penalized teams all year long, so their powerplay most likely will not win them games like it has all year.
Guys like Bouchard and Nugent-Hopkins can absolutely add more production, but at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to their top producers.
The Stars did a great job of neutralizing McDavid and Draisaitl in Game 2, and the Oilers are hoping the energy from the home fans, and the advantage of the last change can be the little things that spark the firepower that they need.
Veterans, Oettinger, Getting it Done in Dallas
The Stars have a plethora of young talent, and they will for years to come. However, it’s the vets on this roster that are keeping the Stars in these games, with lots of help from goaltender Jake Oettinger.
Through two games, Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment, and Jamie Benn are the only non-empty-net goal scorers for the Stars. It’s a great boost for Dallas to know that your depth is keeping you afloat while you’re waiting for your top producers to do their part.
Another great boost is knowing that any goaltending doubt that occurred during the regular season is basically out the window.
Through 15 games, Oettinger is 9-6, with a 2.04 GAA and a .922 SV%. While people in Oilers-land are waiting for Skinner to implode, that feeling is nowhere to be found in Dallas.
For whatever it’s worth, Oettinger is 1-3 in Alberta-based playoff games. That was a few years ago, and Dallas’ offense wasn’t what it is now.
What to Expect in Game 3
Oilers’ coach Kris Knoblauch gently informed the league that they want more calls, and you understand it since the Oilers’ powerplay has been the best in the league for the last two seasons, both from October to April, and in the playoffs.
As we stated earlier, Dallas does not take penalties. The Oilers may get a call here and there, but by and large, they are going to have to find another way to win hockey games.
Their defense has been spectacular in this series, and the goaltender has more than does his job. This is all on the offense now, and only time will tell how it produces moving forward.
For Dallas, they feel like they have played great hockey without getting the most from their best players. If both teams only have a handful of powerplay opportunities, that works just fine for the Stars.
Oettinger’s performance seems to be a foregone conclusion. It’s on the young guns now to contribute in a much bigger way and get the win and the series lead in Edmonton on Monday.
