Oilers at Stars, Western Convention Last Recreation 5 preview – NHL.com

Edmonton 1 win from rematch with Florida for Stanley Cup; Dallas 'digging in' to remain alive
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DALLAS — The Dallas Stars have by no means come again from a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-7 sequence.
Sixteen instances they’ve confronted that climb. Sixteen instances they’ve failed to succeed in the summit.
They’re prepared to vary their historical past regardless of the daunting numbers. It begins towards the Edmonton Oilers in Recreation 5 of the Western Convention Last at American Airways Middle on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC).
Within the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 356 groups have trailed a best-of-7 sequence 3-1 and 32 (0.9 %) have discovered a solution to advance.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been trying to keep alive within the Jap Convention Last, however misplaced Recreation 5 to the Florida Panthers 5-3 on Wednesday.
To make a comeback a actuality, the Stars must begin with a win right here after which replicate it two days later in Edmonton to pressure a winner-take-all Recreation 7 on residence ice Monday.
“The message is all people goes by way of adversity on this path,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer stated. “Adversity comes with this and it is digging in and discovering a approach.”
The numbers for a win in Recreation 5 are a bit extra pleasant.
The Stars have received every of their previous 4 Recreation 5s when trailing 3-1 in a sequence courting to the 2007 convention quarterfinals and are 8-4 of their previous 12 video games when going through elimination because the 2020 second spherical. They’ve solely misplaced 4 straight video games in a sequence 3 times of their historical past and never because the 2001 convention semifinals, a four-game sweep to St. Louis Blues.
Final season, the Stars misplaced the primary two video games of the opening spherical towards the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights and got here again to win in seven.
“Each workforce that wins on the finish of the day has a second in time the place it would not look good, Stars ahead Matt Duchene stated. “And proper now that is ours. So, final 12 months, once we went there, I bear in mind after Recreation 2 feeling like ‘Man, may this be over this shortly? Like, after an incredible 12 months, may this be over? Let’s exit and hang around three in a row.’ So, we have accomplished it earlier than.”
Oilers: Edmonton loses a significant piece for Recreation 5 however provides one other essential one again into the lineup. Ahead Zach Hyman is out for the rest of the playoffs after sustaining an upper-body damage in Recreation 4 and having surgical procedure Wednesday. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm, who has performed one recreation since March 26 due to lower-body damage, makes his return. “Clearly, it is extraordinarily disappointing to lose ‘Hy,’ devastated for him,” captain Connor McDavid stated. “He is a man that wishes to be on the market and needs to make a distinction, so we are going to miss him loads. Nice to see ‘Ekkie’ come again. He is put in numerous exhausting work to get so far.” Hyman, whose 16 objectives led the 2024 playoffs, had 11 factors (5 objectives, six assists) in 15 video games and leads the 2025 postseason in hits (111).
Stars: They’re displaying the appropriate mind set to get again into the sequence, however know they’ve to point out it after being outscored 13-2 previously three video games. The Stars have dominated play at completely different factors however have not been capable of clear up Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner regularly. “When pucks do not go in, you perhaps get a little bit annoyed and need to change the best way we do issues, however we have been right here earlier than,” defenseman Thomas Harley stated. “We’re professionals and we’ve to do the appropriate issues, and that is placing pucks on the internet and finally it’ll go in.”
Quantity to know: Skinner has been traditionally good in these playoffs. His .985 save proportion in wins is the most effective in a postseason with a minimal of 5 video games. His 0.39 goals-against common in wins is the bottom since 1943-44 and third-lowest in a single playoff 12 months in NHL historical past (minimal 5 video games).
What to look at for: Particular groups. Since Dallas scored three power-play objectives of their 6-3 comeback win in Recreation 1, Edmonton has received the particular groups battle handily. The Oilers have 4 power-play objectives of their previous three video games, together with two in a 6-1 win in Recreation 4 on Tuesday, when Corey Perry scored the game-winner on the man-advantage. Edmonton is 4-for-11 (36.4 %) since Recreation 1, whereas Dallas is 1-for-8 (12.5 %). “Anytime you’re giving up objectives on the kill, it is a little bit little bit of the whole lot,” DeBoer stated. “Hear, it’s important to give them credit score. It should not be shocking. Among the finest energy performs within the League over the previous few years, significantly at residence. It is a robust one to take care of.”
FLA vs. CAR | EDM vs. DAL
FLA vs. TOR | CAR vs. WSH | DAL vs. WPG | EDM vs. VGK
OTT vs. TOR | FLA vs. TBL | MTL vs. WSH | NJD vs. CAR
STL vs. WPG | COL vs. DAL | MIN vs. VGK | EDM vs. LAK
“Jeff is an excellent skilled. What you need from a participant, he has introduced it. Excellent angle. It is unlucky he is solely performed one recreation within the playoffs and possibly a little bit unfair to him.” — Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch on Jeff Skinner, who replaces Hyman
“I believe it is spoonfuls. It is not mouthfuls. It is one shift at a time, one interval, one recreation. Clearly, it is backs towards the wall for us, however we’ve confidence in our group. I believe numerous our recreation has been actually good. It is simply been ending. We have had some, if you wish to name it that, robust puck luck. I imply, eight aim posts previously two video games will not be supreme however that is the best way it goes typically. And you have to combat by way of it. We have all received to seek out methods to interrupt by way of and produce extra.” — Stars ahead Matt Duchene
Oilers projected lineup
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Connor McDavid — Corey Perry
Evander Kane — Leon Draisaitl — Kasperi Kapanen
Jeff Skinner — Adam Henrique — Trent Frederic
Vasily Podkolzin — Mattias Janmark — Viktor Arvidsson
Mattias Ekholm — Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse — Brett Kulak
Jake Walman — John Klingberg
Stuart Skinner
Calvin Pickard
Scratched: Joshua Brown, Cam Dineen, Ty Emberson, Max Jones, Derek Ryan, Troy Stecher
Injured: Connor Brown (undisclosed), Zach Hyman (higher physique)
Stars projected lineup
Mikael Granlund — Roope Hintz — Mikko Rantanen
Mason Marchment — Matt Duchene — Tyler Seguin
Jamie Benn — Wyatt Johnston — Jason Robertson
Oskar Again — Sam Metal — Colin Blackwell
Esa Lindell — Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley — Cody Ceci
Lian Bichsel — Alexander Petrovic
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Oskar Again, Mavrik Bourque, Mathew Dumba, Ilya Lyubushkin, Brendan Smith
Injured: Nils Lundkvist (shoulder)
Standing report
The Stars held an elective morning skate. There’s a risk Bourque, a ahead, may enter the lineup to supply offense.
NHL.com unbiased correspondent Taylor Baird contributed to this report

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