Texas Rangers on the brink in Game 5, Edmonton Oilers inch closer to Stanley Cup final victory
Dallas Stars braces for a potential third consecutive elimination in the Western Conference final against Edmonton Oilers. With the series already at 3-1 in favor of Edmonton, the Stars are set to host Game 5 on Thursday.
The Stars have been in a precarious position, losing their last two series encounters against the Oilers. However, Jason Robertson remains optimistic, "We're doing good things, and it's not going in for us. We still have life."
Despite the team's efforts, their offense has been sluggish, with Dallas trailing Edmonton 13-2 in terms of total goals scored since Game 1. Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin, and captain Jamie Benn are among the players struggling to find their scoring touch.
The Oilers, who have opened the scoring in every game of this series, remain resilient as they inch closer to reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive year. Their previous record shows that they perform well when closing out series, especially in 2022 when they had an 8-1 record in clinching games.
Dropping their last two games, the Stars may have opportunities to alter the series' trajectory but the Oilers have demonstrated adaptability. Leon Draisaitl, an Oilers forward, recognizes the potential threat Dallas presents and emphasizes the importance of maintaining their current form, "We know there are certain areas we can clean up and be better at, but overall, we're playing a pretty good game right now."
As the Oilers face the possibility of an extra challenge due to Zach Hyman's season-ending injury, the team's depth players have begun stepping up to compensate for his absence. Forward Jeff Skinner is expected to return to the lineup along with continued absence of injured forward Connor Brown.
With the force of history typically favoring teams with a 3-1 lead, the Stars will have to dig deep to compete for a miraculous comeback. The next game promises to determine the outcome of the series, as one win for the Oilers will secure their berth in the Stanley Cup Final.
In the face of the Stars' struggling offense and their 13-2 goal deficit against the Oilers, concerns about their comeback chances persist. Meanwhile, the Oilers' resilience, evident in their 8-1 record in clinching games, leaves little room for optimism for Dallas. Amidst this drought in scoring games, the health of the teams becomes crucial, with the potential return of Stars' forward Jeff Skinner and continued absence of Connor Brown weighing on the outcomes. With the NHL news focusing on the Stars' third consecutive elimination possibility, the Game 5 news might hold the key to the team's final push and the Oilers' Stanley Cup Final appearance.
