Stars score 5 unanswered in the 3rd defeating the Oilers 6-3 in Game 1
Posted May 21, 2025 11:03 am.
Last Updated May 21, 2025 9:11 pm.
The Dallas Stars scored five unanswered goals to defeat the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
Leon Draisaitl has opened the scoring in the Western Conference Final.
Right after the Oilers killed a penalty, Draisaitl took the boards and fired a low wrister past Jake Oettinger to make it 1-0 for the Oilers.
GOTTA SEE IT: THE OILERS STRIKE FIRST ????
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2025
Leon Draisaitl scores the first goal of the 2025 Western Conference Final
Presented by Moosehead Breweries ???????? pic.twitter.com/2LCT32nVxy
Around five minutes later, with the Oilers bussing in the Stars’ end, Tyler Seguin capitalized on a breakaway opportunity, beating Stuart Skinner, making it 1-1 in the first.
Just over six minutes into the second period, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would regain the lead for the Oilers on a power play.
Nugent-Hopkins was alone in the slot, when the puck got poked towards him. He wasted no time firing the puck over Oettinger’s shoulder to make it 2-1.
NUUUUUUUUUUUGGGEEEEEE ????️????️????️ pic.twitter.com/u6aozenUjR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2025
Exactly 100 seconds later, Evan Bouchard would double the Oilers’ lead.
Bouchard faked a one timer, skated the puck backwards, and wristed a shot to the far side of the net, beating Oettinger to make it 3-1.
EVAN BOUCHARD HAS ARRIVED IN DALLAS ???? pic.twitter.com/KGFMGQoXla
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2025
Dallas started the third period with a power play, and Miro Heiskanen would waste no time, writing the puck from the blue line past Skinner, scoring 32 seconds into the frame to make it 3-2.
Just over three minutes later, on another power play, Mikael Granlund would laser a shot into the top of the net to make it 3-3.
Just over two minutes later, on another power play, Matt Duchene would give Dallas their first lead of the game, putting the puck past Skinner, who had no idea where it was.
With about four minutes left in the third, Sam Steel broke into the Oilers’ zone and threw a backhander towards the goal. Seguin, who was also in on the chance, was able to tip the puck into the net, scoring his second of the game to make it 5-3 for Dallas.
Esa Lindell would add an empty net goal just 39 seconds later to make it 6-3 for the Stars.
Oilers aim to outshine Stars in West final rematch beginning in Texas
The Edmonton Oilers, Canada’s last team standing in the 2025 NHL playoffs, open the Western Conference final Wednesday night at American Airlines Center, facing a Dallas Stars’ squad bent on retribution.
The Oilers, who lost two of the first three games last year to the Stars before winning the best-of-seven West final 4-2, will start on the road this time around.
The Stars reached the final four this year by eliminating the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets in the second round, clinching the series at home with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 6. The Oilers swept the Golden Knights aside in five games, winning the final game 1-0 in overtime on the road.
The Stars are led this time by playoff scoring leader Mikko Rantanen, who has nine goals and 19 points. Defenceman Thomas Harley has four goals and 11 points. Netminder Jake Oettinger has a .919 save percentage and shares the lead for wins with the Florida Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky at eight apiece.
The Oilers are led offensively by Connor McDavid (three goals, 14 assists) and Leon Draisaitl with five goals and 16 points.
“There’s a few different players playing the series obviously. But in a lot of ways, it’s very similar,” McDavid told reporters Tuesday. “Same coach, same systems. … We haven’t changed much, they haven’t changed much.”
Game 2 is Friday in Dallas, with Games 3 (Sunday) and 4 (Tuesday) at Rogers Place.
