The Edmonton Oilers dropped the ball in Game 1 against the Dallas Stars, but the good thing about a seven-game series is that they had a chance to rebound 48 hours later. And even though that loss was undoubtedly painful, no one would care if our boys could find a way to grab the split at the American Airlines Center in Game 2. And as hoped, the Oilers picked up where they started the first two periods of the series, but this time they were able to complete a 60-minute effort that resulted in a massive 3-0 win.
ANOTHER MULTI-POINT NIGHT FOR RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS
We’ve spoken about how vital depth scoring is in the playoffs a million times by this point, so we don’t have to do it again now, but Friday night was another one of those games where the depth came through once again. While we expect Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to contribute offensively, having him register back-to-back multi-point nights to support the Dynamic Duo is another win on top of what we got on the scoreboard. RNH is my dude — everybody knows that — but he’s a guy that we need to chip in a goal occasionally in addition to the two-way play we expect from him. In Games 1 and 2, Nugent-Hopkins has held up his end of the bargain.
With four points through the first two games of this series, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has quietly amassed 13 points in 12 playoff games. While McDavid and Draisaitl understandably get the bulk of the attention around here, how can you not appreciate that the 14-year Oiler is also producing at over a point per game? Then again, maybe it’s almost better that Nuge is flying under the radar and living in the dynamic shadow of his MVP teammates. Of course, the NHL playoffs are very much a “what have you done for me lately” situation, and as much fun as it was to see Nuge have success so far, we need him to keep this mini-heater going with the series heading back to Edmonton.
STUART SKINNER BOUNCES BACK AGAIN
I’m running out of creative things to say about Stuart Skinner’s 2025 playoffs. These games keep getting increasingly unbelievable because you’re either getting shutouts or .830 performances, and there is no in-between. It’s wild. It’s confusing. It’s exhilarating. Skinner has been perfect in all three of his post-season wins — he has shutouts in three of his last four games — but has also given up 20 goals in the four losses he’s had. It’s a roller-coaster that gives us the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, with the added bonus that you never know which ride you’re on until the game gets going.
Yet, on a night when we needed Skinner to bounce back, he rose to the challenge and put his best foot forward. Not only did Stu lock in the shutout and win, but he also tied Curtis Joseph for the franchise record with three shutouts in a single playoff run. Skinner now has four post-season shutouts on his résumé, which puts him past Bill Ranford for second place in franchise history, behind only Cujo’s five for the top spot. While it’s unfair to expect perfection from him every night, there has to be some kind of middle ground between stopping literally everything and not quite enough. The guy can clearly excel when we need him, but the trick will be if he can do it a bit more consistently.
WHAT CAN CONNOR BROWN DO FOR YOU?
I love playoff Connor Brown. We know he’s battling some kind of injury that’s keeping him off the ice for morning skates, but you wouldn’t know it from the way No. 28 has been flying all over the ice. I don’t know what it is about the playoffs that allows him to find another gear, but it’s quickly becoming one of my favourite annual traditions. Regardless of which line he’s on or how many minutes he plays, you know that Connor Brown will give it 2,000 per cent, and Game 2 was another example of him doing his thing. In 16:14 of TOI, Brown picked up a beautiful deflection goal on RNH’s shot from the circle, had two shots on goal, one hit and a plus-one rating for good measure.
While we don’t know what injury he’s battling or how much it’s affecting him — my guess is it has something to do with the shot he took off the foot in Game 5 against Vegas — the way he’s grinding through whatever is going on only brightens his star. That’s pretty good for a guy who was a healthy scratch for all of the first round against Los Angeles in last year’s playoffs, right? Either way, Brown excelling is an excellent example of the Oilers’ depth and how we’re a long way from the days of having no one other than McDavid and Draisaitl who were able to put the puck in the net. While Connor Brown having a solid night is nothing new at this point, it’s impossible not to cheer for a guy who gives it his all regardless of the role he’s given. Teamwork makes the dream work, friends, and Connor Brown is doing all kinds of good work for his teammates right now.
OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING
1. Despite the painful result in Game 1 after a disastrous third period, our boys actually had a hell of a start. They dominated Dallas for wide stretches of the first 40 minutes, and it would take another effort just like on Friday night if they were going back to Rogers Place with the series split at one apiece. And as hoped, the Oilers came through with another strong start that put the Stars on their heels and afforded the visiting side the chance they needed to get everyone involved. Yeah, I’m incredibly biased, but Dallas was lucky not to be down by two or three goals after 20 minutes.
2. Brett Kulak is so damned underrated on the Oilers’ blueline that it’s almost criminal. The guy plays quality minutes every night, often rotating partners, but it never seems to faze him. Instead, he quietly goes about his business and defends his zone well. So, to see him get rewarded with a big goal — Kulak became the 17th Oiler to score in the playoffs — was a cherry on top of what was already a fantastic night for the product of Stony Plain.
3. Evan Bouchard was excellent in Game 3. Yes, he threw another two points on the pile as the legend of his playoff prowess grows, but he was also rock solid in his end at even strength and on the penalty kill. While the defensive side of his game will always be under the microscope, you’re lying to yourself if you can’t see/admit how well he’s playing right now.
4. If Troy Stecher were 6’2″, he’d have a long-term deal worth all kinds of money. There’s a lot of fight in that dog, and I thought he’s been fantastic alongside Darnell Nurse since being swapped in for Ty Emberson.
6. Courtesy of Bob Stauffer on Twitter, I learned that Connor McDavid joined Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, and Sergei Fedorov as the only players in NHL history to record four consecutive 20-point playoff years. Connor is king, and I love him… arguably more than his parents do.
7. Can we talk about the Darnell Nurse backhand slash to Roope Hintz’s shin pad that left him lying on the ice? I’m confused about this one. The replay made it look like Darryl’s stick hit him on the pads, but clearly something else happened in what has to be a freak situation. Either way, the Stars WERE NOT HAPPY in their post-game pressers when asked about the slash, and this story could end up as a major plot point in the series if Hintz isn’t able to continue.
9. It can’t all be good news. Unfortunately, I must report that the Oilers won only 40.4% of the faceoffs.
