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May 25, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) looks for the puck between Edmonton Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak (27) and goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game three of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

4 Keys to Oilers Winning Game 4 Against Stars

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Brian Swane | Last updated May 27, 2025 10:35 AM ET

The Edmonton Oilers host the Dallas Stars for Game 4 of the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place on Tuesday (May 27), looking to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series.

After losing the series opener by a score of 6-3, the Oilers have rebounded for back-to-back victories, defeating Dallas by scores of 3-0 and 6-1 in Games 2 and 3, respectively.

With wins in 10 of their last 12 games, the Oilers are riding a seemingly unstoppable wave of momentum, but Dallas can’t be counted out. The Stars, after all, finished with the fourth-most points in the NHL this season. Here are the keys for Edmonton to come out on top again in Game 4.

Stay Out of the Box

It appears that Edmonton has solved its penalty kill woes. After allowing 11 power-play goals in their first eight games this postseason, the Oilers have not allowed a power-play goal in five of their last six contests, including Games 2 and 3 against Dallas.

The real key, however, might be that Edmonton is playing much more disciplined. In the last five games that the Oilers did not allow a power-play goal, Edmonton’s opponents are averaging only two power-play opportunities per game.

At 65.9%, Edmonton’s penalty-kill percentage in the 2025 Playoffs is still dreadful. But the Oilers don’t need to have the world’s greatest PK if they can continue to limit power-play chances for the opposition.

Much was made in advance of the Western Conference Final about how Edmonton is the better even-strength team, and the first three games of the series have borne that out: the Oilers are out-scoring the Stars 9-3 at five-on-five thus far.

Skinner Remains Locked In

Cutting down their penalties is one reason that the Oilers have allowed one goal or fewer in three of the last four games. Another is improved defensive play. But the biggest reason has been the efforts of goaltender Stuart Skinner, who has completely turned things around after a poor start to the postseason.

Over the last five games, Skinner has a record of 4-1 with a sparkling 1.18 goals-against average and a stellar .955 save percentage. The 26-year-old was brilliant on Sunday, turning aside 20 of 21 shots in the second period when Edmonton was under barrage, ensuring the Oilers remained in front until his teammates could add some insurance goals.

Through his NHL career, Skinner has shown he can be a very good goalie in spurts, but consistency has always been the issue. If he can continue to perform like he has the last couple of weeks, Edmonton will be tough to beat in Game 4.

Your Turn, Leon

In our keys to the Oilers winning Game 3 article, we said that Edmonton stars Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid need to break out of their goal-scoring slumps, and the latter two delivered: Hyman and McDavid each scored twice in Edmonton’s 6-1 victory on Sunday, combining for as many goals as they had between them in the previous 12 games.

Draisaitl, however, continued to struggle. Despite his team’s offensive outburst, he picked up just one point, an assist, and didn’t register a single shot on goal for the first time in his last 72 games spanning the regular season and playoffs.

The NHL’s leading goal-scorer in 2024-25 has now tallied only once in his last six games. While he is tied for the team lead with six goals this postseason, Draisaitl isn’t producing anywhere near his normal rate. If he can bury a couple pucks on Tuesday, just like Hyman and McDavid did in Game 3, Draisaitl will give his team a very good chance of victory.

Keep Trending

Edmonton is on an absolute heater, and all signs point to the Oilers extending their hot streak on Tuesday: They’re 7-1 in their last eight playoff games at home, 5-1 in their last six postseason games against Dallas, and an incredible 8-0 in Game 4 of their last eight playoff series.

But while the trends say the Oilers are going to win, you could also look at that data and say they are due for a loss. When the puck drops, all that matters is what happens over the next 60 minutes of hockey. And if those three periods resemble the last several games, Edmonton could be one win away from the Stanley Cup Final by night’s end.