After winning game one in double overtime the Edmonton Oilers lost in regular tonight after the Dallas Stars have tied the series at one as the series now will head to Edmonton. In a back and forth game, a goal by Mason Marchment early in the third period was the difference maker.
This game was fairly uneventful, but that is the type of game that the Stars would prefer to play. The Edmonton Oilers are a much better team when scoring chances are traded as in an offensive battle the Oilers are as good as any team in the NHL. In a defensive battle the Oilers are not a strong of a team. The Stars know that and tonight it lead them to victory.
After Jaime Benn opened the scoring early in the game at the 3:39 mark in the first period, the Oilers tied the game less than a minute later when Connor Brown slide the puck through the legs of Jake Oettinger. After that moment though Oettinger shut the door and didn't let another puck past him.
For Stuart Skinner he played a solid game. One of his goals against was on a 2 on 1 and the other was a redirection. Neither of the two goals can be blamed on Skinner. Saving 22 of the 24 shots faced, it appears that the Oilers goalie is not to blame for the loss.
The loss tonight could be blamed on the Oilers lack of offense. As much as it is expected for the tightness of the game to lower to goals for, if the Oilers want to win a game they will need to score more than one goal. I would expect the Oilers offense to play a better game in game 3 back in Edmonton.
I am not to worried about the loss tonight. I did not expect the Oilers to win the series in 4 games. So, I will not get worried till the Oilers lose a game at home. The tightness of these first two games could end up being in the Oilers favour. If the Oilers can feed of the energy of their fan I would expect the Oilers the be heading back to Dallas being up 3-1 in the series.