If you’re an Oilers fan, you probably woke up this morning with a smile—and a sense of relief. Game 2 was everything Edmonton needed it to be: composed, clinical, and most importantly, victorious. After coughing up a late lead in Game 1, the Oilers answered back in a big way Friday night with a 3-0 win over the Dallas Stars to tie the series 1-1.
Now the series shifts to Edmonton, with Game 3 set for an early 1:00 PM puck drop on Sunday. You can bet Rogers Place is going to be electric.
Let’s talk about last night
The Oilers didn’t just win, they imposed their will. Edmonton got on the board early with a power-play goal from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who redirected in a point shot from Evan Bouchard. Leon Draisaitl, who is second in the playoffs with 14 assists, picked up the secondary helper. It was a textbook Oilers goal: fast puck movement, a dangerous shot from the point, and good positioning by Nuge. That made it 1-0, and the Oilers never looked back.
In the second period, Brett Kulak stepped into a pass from Connor McDavid and snapped home his first of the playoffs on a great second-chance play. Just over a minute later, Connor Brown deflected home his fifth postseason marker off a shot from Nugent-Hopkins. Suddenly, it was 3-0. The Stars were stunned, and the Oilers were in full control.
But the real star? Stuart Skinner
The much-maligned goalie silenced critics with a perfect performance, stopping all 31 shots he faced. His best moment came in the third, robbing Lindell on a point-blank chance with a flashy stick save that might just be his signature playoff moment, so far.
Special teams swung the balance
After giving up three power-play goals in Game 1, the Oilers went a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill and struck once with the man advantage. The discipline was better, the defensive zone coverage was tighter, and the urgency was there from puck drop.
Looking Ahead
Game 3 goes Sunday afternoon in Edmonton. The Oilers have home-ice advantage now and a chance to push the Stars onto their heels. Expect more line matching from Kris Knoblauch, likely putting McDavid in more favorable offensive situations. Also, watch for the Oilers' depth to shine again. Brown, Kulak, and Walman each made strong contributions in game 2.
Bottom line, Edmonton answered the bell. And if they bring that same energy on Sunday, this series could tilt their way fast.