The Oilers are one win away from becoming the Western Conference champions after they defeated the Stars in hostile territory on Friday night, 3-1, and have taken a 3-2 series lead as they return home on Sunday to finish their mission.
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup’s analysis before heading to our top-rated sportsbooks.
NHL Pick
- Oilers ML (-140) at Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
Dallas Stars vs. Edmonton Oilers
Sunday, June 02, 2024 – 08:00 PM ET at Rogers Place
Key Facts
- Edmonton boasts the top three point-getters in the postseason including Connor McDavid (28), Leon Draisaitl (26) and Evan Bouchard (23).
- Edmonton has the top two goal scorers in the playoffs including Zach Hyman (13) and Leon Draisaitl (10).
- Edmonton has outshot Dallas in all five of their playoff meetings.
Nugent-Hopkins Steals the Show
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins often gets overlooked in a club teeming with offensive firepower. However, he didn’t go unnoticed on Friday night as he lit the lamp on two power play opportunities and gave the Oilers a lead they would never relinquish. Defenseman Philip Broberg also got his first goal of the playoffs at 5:09 of the second stanza to move the Oilers in front 3-0.
Wyatt Johnston would end any chance of Oilers’ goalie, Stuart Skinner, getting a shutout when he beat the Edmonton native with approximately five minutes remaining in the game. That would be the last tally of the evening and Edmonton notched a 3-1 victory with a shot at wrapping the series on Sunday.
NHL Pick
The Stars won’t recover from Friday night’s loss.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger has been working like a rented mule over the last several years and he might be out of gas in his next outing after doing nothing wrong in Game 5. The three goals he allowed were virtually unstoppable with the first being an open net rebound while the other two were rocket-guided missiles that found the top corner underneath the crossbar.
Granted, the Oilers’ offense is explosive and there’s no shame in losing to them but I don’t see the Stars offense being able to muster the strength to match Edmonton’s seamless transition game and their relentless pursuit of the puck in the offensive zone. The Stars will also be playing in the same hostile environment that saw them lose 5-2 on Wednesday.
Lastly, I must note the stellar play of Oilers’ goalie, Stuart Skinner, who may have only had 19 saves on 20 shots but several were of the jaw-dropping variety which could have made for a different outcome had Skinner not been so sharp.
Lay the lumber and bet the hometown Oilers to close out this series.
NHL Pick: Oilers ML (-140) at Caesars Sportsbook
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