"Now or Never" SC Playoffs WCF Game 6: Stars-Oilers NHL P-B-P/Color w/Alec Nava 6-2-24

Game Story: The OEG Inc. (hashtag#LetsGoOilers) got some solid goaltending and sent the Dallas Stars (hashtag#TexasHockey) packing. Edmonton now faces the Florida Panthers (hashtag#TimeToHunt) as the Stanley Cup Finals begin in Sunrise on Saturday. See the coverage alongside Alec Nava here. https://lnkd.in/enQZiF6p

National Hockey League (NHL) Turner (Turner Broadcasting System, Inc) Sportsnet hashtag#broadcast

Western Conference Finals

P2 Edmonton Oilers (49-27-6, 11-6) 104 PTS +57) vs. C1 Dallas Stars (52-21-9, 10-8) 113 PTS +64)

HC: Kris Knoblauch vs. Peter DeBoer

- Top-Heavy vs. Well-Rounded

- Defense vs. Taking Out Established Teams

- Goaltending Concerns? vs. Powerhouse


Premium Defense: Evan Bouchard (81 GP, 18-64-82+34); Mattias Ekholm (79 GP, 11-34-45 +44); vs. Miro Heiskanen (71 GP, 9-45-54 +8); Thomas Harley (79 GP, 15-32-47 +28)

Goaltending: Stuart Skinner (59 GP, 36-16-5, 2.62 GAA, .905 SV, 2 SO); Calvin Pickard (23 GP, 12-7-1, 2.45 GAA, .909 SV, 1 SO) vs. Jake Oettinger (54 GP, 34-14-4, 2.72 GAA, .905 SV, 3 SO); Scott Wedgewood (32 GP, 16-7-5, 2.85 GAA, .899 SV)

EDM Heading In: 4-1 (LA); 4-3 (VAN) Hot: Leon Draisaitl (8-16-24 +2); Connor McDavid (2-19-21 +5); Evan Bouchard (5-15-20 +10); Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (4-12-16 +3); Zach Hyman (11-2-13 +6); Cold: Darnell Nurse (0-2-2 –10); Warren Foegele (1-1-2 –6)

DAL Heading In: 4-3 (VGK); 4-2 (COL) Hot: Miro Heiskanen (5-8-13 –2); Jason Robertson (3-9-12 –3); Wyatt Johnston (7-4-11 +3); Tyler Seguin (3-5-8 +7); Jamie Benn (3-5-8 +1) Of Note: Christopher Tanev (0-1-1 +8)

Goaltending: Jake Oettinger (8-5, 2.09 GAA, .918 SV) vs. Stuart Skinner (7-3, 2.87 GAA, .881 SV, 1 SO); Calvin Pickard (3 GP, 1-1, 2.21 GAA, .915 SV)

GF 3.83 vs. 2.92; GA: 2.75 vs. 2.38; PP: 37.5% vs. 29%; PK: 91.4% vs. 69.2% Hits per 60: 32.5 vs. 26.4; Blocks per 60: 16.25 vs. 20; Score first: 7-3 vs. 5-3; Trail First: 1-1 vs. 3-2;

Previous Matchup History: CF 1984: 4-0 EDM; CF 1991: 4-1 MIN/DAL; RD 1 1997: 4-3 EDM; RD2 1998: 4-1 DAL; RD 1 1999: 4-0 DAL; RD 1 2000: 4-1 DAL; RD 1 2001: 4-2 DAL; RD 1 2003: 4-2 DAL

I’m predicting a short series. I know EDM defense is much improved, and the PK is performing well. But they can’t win games as they did against VAN who had just 12-to-15 shots. DAL isn’t going to be that anemic. If DAL gets knocked out, that would be historical to me.

I’m shocked if this goes past five games, and DAL must cakewalk. It’s no rest otherwise.

Series Summary

Game 1: Instant Classic. EDM W 3-2. McDavid with the GWG in 2OT. Seguin with a couple tap-ins off broken plays. Hyman and Draisatil (One-Timer off blocked shot) with a goal. EDM started with a 2-0 lead. Oettinger 35 of 38 in the loss, Skinner 31 of 33 in the victory. Excellent game for Skinner.

Game 2: DAL W 3-1: It was expected that the Dallas Stars even up the series and they did. But EDM didn’t make the game easy. Several big saves from both Skinner and Oettinger. Connor Brown for EDM off the rush and the rebound. Jamie Benn scores on the first shot of the game on a low-snipe. Marchment tip from Suter was the GWG, and Lindell insurance on the empty-net. Jake Oettinger 28 of 29. Skinner 22 of 24.

Game 3: DAL W 5-3 We got what we needed to see from DAL. Robertson Hat Trick. Johnston and Heiskanen also score. EDM had a 2-0 lead in the first after Hyman and McDavid scored. Still Skinner only faced 17 of 21 (Concern). Oettinger stops 28 of 30 in the win.

Game 4: EDM W 5-2: Johnston and Lindell opened the scoring as it was 2-0 just 5:29 into the game. UNO reverse. McLeod, Bouchard, Janmark (SHG), Draisaitl, Ekholm all score. Skinner takes the victory stopping 20 of 22. Oettinger in the loss stops 24 of 28.

Game 5: EDM W 3-1: It was eight straight goals for EDM in the series, extending from the 5-0 run of Game 4. R-N-H (PPG x2) Phillip Broberg gets inserted and scores! 3-0 EDM after two. Johnston breaks the run, but no matter. Stars had six shots on goal after almost two periods. Skinner stops 19 of 20. Oettinger 23 of 26 in the loss. Dallas takes three penalties and gets scored on twice. Is it over? Tim Callishaw questions effort and Peter DeBoer has a dumb response. This looks bad.

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