The Dallas Stars pulled off an incredible comeback against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, scoring five unanswered goals to win 6-3. The victory marked the Stars’ sixth comeback win this postseason and cemented their position as one of the top teams in the league.
Down 3-1 with just over a minute remaining in the third period, the Stars staged an astonishing turnaround, capitalizing on Edmonton’s struggling penalty kill and scoring three power-play goals to take the lead. Tyler Seguin scored his second goal of the game to push the advantage to 5-3, while Esa Lindell sealed the win with an empty-netter.
The Oilers, who had set an NHL record earlier in the playoffs with five consecutive comeback wins, were unable to recover from their penalty kill struggles. Despite being outshot and outplayed for most of the game, Edmonton’s coach Kris Knoblauch attributed the loss to a lack of energy in the third period, citing the team’s short-handed stint as a key factor.
For the Stars, the win marked a significant turning point in the series, showcasing their ability to overcome adversity. “We played with some more energy,” said Mikael Granlund, who scored a goal and assisted on two others. The victory sets the tone for the rest of the series, leaving Edmonton to wonder how they lost control of the game.
The matchup between these two teams has been touted as a clash of styles, with Dallas’s depth of scoring being pitted against Edmonton’s stifling defense. However, the Stars’ ability to adapt and capitalize on mistakes ultimately proved to be too much for the Oilers to handle. As Peter DeBoer said post-game, “We’re feeling confident that we can go out there and win games without our A-game.” The question now is how long will this winning streak last?
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/45262085/stars-score-3-power-play-goals-3rd-top-oilers-game-1