NHL Western Conference Finals Game 1 | Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars | 5/23/2024

The Dallas Stars faced off against the Edmonton Oilers for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final at American Airlines Center on Thursday night. This highly anticipated matchup featured two powerhouses in an intense battle. The Edmonton Oilers secured a thrilling Game 7 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, overcoming a 3-2 series deficit. On the other hand, the Dallas Stars advanced to the Conference Final after defeating the Colorado Avalanche in six games, giving them some extra rest days compared to the Edmonton Oilers. The game showcased Stuart Skinner in goal for the Oilers and Jake Oettinger for the Stars, setting the stage for an exciting goaltender matchup that would set the tone for the rest of the series.

Period One:

Stuart Skinner put on an impressive performance, making two crucial saves on breakaways from Evgenii Dadonov and Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars within the first 3 minutes of the game. The match remained quiet until Evander Kane received a debatable roughing minor penalty. Despite Dallas’s power-play opportunity, Edmonton’s solid defense prevented them from scoring. Both goalies delivered outstanding performances, making crucial saves to keep the score 0-0. The period remained uneventful until the closing minute when Dylan Holloway was penalized for holding, giving the Stars 28 seconds of power-play time heading into the first intermission.

Period Two:

The Oilers successfully killed off the penalty early in the second period, denying the Stars’ power-play entries. Following the penalty kill, Leon Draisaitl scored with a slap shot that took an unlucky bounce off a Stars defender, giving the Oilers an early 1-0 lead. Goalie Stuart Skinner then made a crucial save, sparking Zach Hyman to skillfully maneuver around the Stars and score, extending the lead to 2-0. Hyman’s goal was his 12th of the playoffs, making him the only double-digit scorer in the playoffs. However, a costly mistake by Brett Kulak led to a goal by Tyler Seguin, narrowing the Oilers’ lead to 2-1. Despite another penalty, the Oilers’ penalty kill once again thwarted the Stars’ power-play attempts, ending the period with the Oilers leading 2-1, and heading into the third on the power-play.

3rd & OT

Dallas started the period strong, successfully killing off a too many men penalty. Both teams continued to push for opportunities in the offensive zone, with the goalies making crucial saves in the first 10 minutes of the third period. The game became a tense, defensive battle with few scoring chances. With just 3 minutes left, Tyler Seguin capitalized on a lucky bounce to tie the game 2-2, sending it into overtime. In a controversial move, the referees changed a call and penalized McDavid with a double minor for high sticking, which Dallas managed to kill off. The game extended into double overtime, but a spectacular redirected goal by McDavid secured a 1-0 series lead for Edmonton. All eyes are now on Game 2, where Dallas will look to bounce back and even the series on Saturday night. The Stars’ fans will surely bring their energy to support the team.