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The NHL Conference Finals is wrapping up as we head into Game 5 of the series between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars. There’s a lot on the line for both teams, with the Oilers leading the series comfortably 3-1, so the Stars have a lot of work to do tonight to stay in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The puck drops at 8 PM ET sharp, so review my picks for tonight’s showdown before deciding whether they’re something you want to fade or follow!
After the Oilers took a 4-2 series win in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the LA Kings, they knocked out the Las Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 in the conference semifinals. They now hold a 3-1 series lead over the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals, even after slipping in Game 1 6-3. They tied up the series in Game 2 by shutting out the Stars 3-0, only to dominate them 6-1 in Game 3 and 4-1 in Game 4. A win tonight in opposing territory in Game 5 pushes them over the line into the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers.
Tuesday’s Game 4 showcased four goalscorers helping to secure the win for the Oilers, including Leon Draisaitl, Kasperi Kapanen, Adam Henrique and Corey Perry. Draisaitl (7 goals and 16 assists) sits right behind teammate Connor McDavid (5 goals and 19 assists) on the postseason skating charts, as they continue to dominate the point-scoring in the playoffs this season. McDavid had 2 assists in Game 4, and I fully expect him to dish out another 1+ assists tonight to help the Oilers progress to the Stanley Cup Finals. Following close behind the two centers is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with 5 goals and 13 assists, along with defenseman Even Bouchard racking up 6 goals and 11 assists to put the Oilers on top of the point-scoring charts over every other team in the playoffs (except Dallas’s Mikko Rantanen and Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor). If all goes according to plan tonight, Edmonton will skate through to the finals with the chance to challenge for a fresh Stanley Cup Trophy.
The Stars had a close call in Round 1 of the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche, ending 4-3 in Dallas’ favor. They did, however, make knocking out the Jets look easy, winning the semifinals four games to two to move on to their latest challenge against the Oilers. Their start against Edmonton was promising, but they’re now on the brink of being knocked out. They do take home ice advantage this evening, where they managed to snatch a win in Game 1 with a 3-goal margin victory, and with everything on the line tonight, the Stars could pull it off to survive.
Mikko Rantanen continues to carry his team in point scoring with 9 goals and 12 assists, so if he can ramp up his efforts tonight with another crucial goal at home to give the Stars a lead, they may have a chance of running away with this one. Help from his teammates will be vital, and both defenseman Thomas Harley (4 goals and 8 assists) and center Roope Hintz (5 goals and 6 assists) will need to play the game of their lives to give Dallas any chance of pulling the series to 3-2. Of course, teammate centers Mikael Granlund (5 goals and 5 assists), Tyler Seguin (4 goals and 4 assists), and Wyatt Johnston (4 goals and 4 assists) will all need to be part of a team effort to push for a last ditch-win to move on to a possible Game 6 of the series.
All signs point toward the Oilers in this game, and although the Stars play at home with a fire under their feet in a “Must-Win” scenario, the Oilers are putting up an unprecedented amount of points against all opponents so far in the playoffs. Dallas goalkeeper Jake Oettinger stands between the Oilers Calvin Pickard (2.84 goals allowed per game) and Stuart Skinner (2.47 goals allowed per game) with 2.72 goals allowed per game, so if he can block shots from Edmonton’s offense tonight, there may be a chance the Stars can strike a lead with Mikko Rantanen putting one in the back of the Oilers net.
However, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are running away with points, so realistically, it will only be a matter of time before the Oilers find the back of the net, with McDavid expected to record at least 1+ assists and help his team reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.