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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
The Edmonton Oilers confronted a 2-1 collection deficit heading into Recreation 4, and after two Dallas Stars targets within the first 5:29 of the sport, it appeared like that might develop to 3-1.
Then the tide turned, considerably.
Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard scored within the first, adopted by targets from Mattias Janmark and Leon Draisaitl within the second — and an empty-net capper from Mattias Ekholm for good measure. The collection is now 2-2 and headed again to Dallas for Recreation 5 on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
What stood out essentially the most from this sport? What developments will proceed? And who’re the important thing gamers to observe with the collection now all the way down to a best-of-3?
Oilers grade: A-
Recreation 4 was the proper encapsulation of the Oilers.That they had a horrible begin, taking place 2-0 within the first 5:29 of a must-win sport. They roared again to attain 5 unanswered targets, managed play by limiting Dallas to 22 photographs, killed two energy performs and scored a shorthanded purpose. Goalie Stuart Skinner appeared like he was about to collapse however made key saves — together with an amazing one on Tyler Seguin — to make sure Dallas did not rating that third purpose.
No group within the postseason can look as unhealthy and nearly as good because the Oilers, continuously in the identical 20 minutes.
Coach Kris Knoblauch additionally deserves his flowers for shaking up his roster for Recreation 5. He swapped in forwards Corey Perry and Ryan McLeod, in addition to defenseman Philip Broberg; and swapped out forwards Sam Carrick and Warren Foegele, in addition to defenseman Vincent Desharnais. As soon as once more, Knoblauch pushed the appropriate buttons: McLeod scored Edmonton’s first purpose to chop the Dallas result in 2-1, on an help from Perry; and their line with Leon Draisaitl outshot the Stars 6-1 whereas on the ice at 5-on-5.
The Oilers credit score Knoblauch with saving their season. He is continued these heroics within the playoffs.
1:20
Oilers take lead with 2 targets in 51 seconds
Mattias Janmark and Leon Draisaitl rating in lower than a minute of one another to provide the Oilers a 4-2 lead over the Stars.
Stars grade: C-
Blowing a 2-0 first-period lead wasn’t the issue. Watching the Oilers rating two targets in 51 seconds — a Mattias Janmark shorthanded purpose and Leon Draisaitl’s tenth of the postseason — wasn’t the issue.
The issue was simply how meekly the Stars misplaced Recreation 4 in Edmonton. Dallas had one high-danger shot try within the third interval in opposition to Stuart Skinner.
No ardour, no pushback. Now the Oilers have new life within the collection.
What we discovered in Recreation 4
Goalies could make stick saves even once they do not have sticks of their fingers.
Late within the first interval, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger misplaced his stick whereas scrambling to make two saves on an Edmonton energy play. Oilers winger Zach Hyman nudged the stick together with his skate again off of Oettinger, and it will definitely settled with the stick blade draped throughout the purpose line.
Connor McDavid obtained the puck to Oettinger’s proper, noticed some daylight between the goalie and the online and fired the puck … immediately off the deserted stick and out of hurt’s approach for Dallas. McDavid had a glance of surprised disbelief on the bench in a 2-2 sport.
0:46
‘Unbelievable!’ Jake Oettinger’s unattended stick in some way blocks purpose
Jake Oettinger’s stick in some way is positioned in the appropriate path to dam the Oilers from taking a lead within the first interval.
In keeping with the NHL’s official scoresheet, it counted as a missed shot by McDavid reasonably than a save for Oettinger, which we consider is a critical underestimation of Otter’s precognitive powers.
Gamers to look at in Recreation 5
Darnell Nurse. The Edmonton defenseman was a goal of derision regionally after Recreation 3, with some brazenly questioning his future with the group based mostly on his ineffectiveness. He was on the ice for the Stars’ first two targets, together with an Esa Lindell shot that deflected off Nurse and into the online to make it 2-0.
However he saved battling. He assisted on McLeod’s purpose. He was a bodily presence. He delivered 12 hits however did not take a minor penalty in 19:19 of ice time. It was a essential efficiency for an vital participant.
Jason Robertson. Was the Roberts-issance one and executed? The Stars winger went 10 playoff video games with out a purpose earlier than tallying a hat trick in Recreation 3, thanks partially to the return of Roope Hintz. However Robertson was a minus-2 with no factors in Recreation 4, the sixth time within the postseason he was held with out a level and the seventh through which he had a minus-rating.
With the Stars nonetheless on the lookout for their first power-play purpose of the collection, they want the Robertson who confirmed up for Recreation 3, with the motion shifting again to Dallas for Recreation 5.
Massive query for Recreation 5: Is Chris Tanev OK?
The Stars defenseman blocked an Evander Kane shot together with his proper foot with 7:38 left within the second interval, and didn’t return to the sport with a lower-body damage. A key acquisition on the commerce deadline, Tanev has been a essential a part of the Stars’ prime 4 on protection, averaging 23:26 of ice time per sport.
He has 68 blocked photographs to steer all gamers within the postseason. Dallas is hoping he’ll be obtainable to dam just a few extra in Recreation 5. If not, it is a large blow to the thinnest space of the Stars’ lineup, and will affect their penalty kill, which is the very last thing you need in opposition to the Oilers.
After the sport, coach Pete DeBoer stated “fingers crossed” that Tanev is OK for Recreation 5.
