How concerning was Oilers’ performance in Game 1?

The good vibes surrounding the Edmonton Oilers seemed to have withered away after one bad period.

The Oilers seemed to be on their way to winning Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, taking a 3-1 lead into the third period against the Dallas Stars. However, Edmonton began a parade to the penalty box, and their terrible penalty kill ended up hurting them. The Stars scored three straight power-play goals early in the third period, five total in the frame, to steal the opening game of the series by a final score of 6-3.

It was a missed opportunity for the Oilers to take home-ice advantage away from the Stars. Now, they have to find a way to recuperate before Game 2, or else face the task of coming back from 2-0 down for the second time in these playoffs.

On Thursday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Frank Seravalli explain whether the Oilers’ loss in Game 1 was worth setting off the fire alarm.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I guess you could sit there and say, “Dallas is not going to be that bad through 40 minutes again.” They probably won’t be that bad through 40 minutes again. So, you could go, “Edmonton missed their opportunity to go and guarantee at least a split.” You could also sit there and say Edmonton was the better team for the bulk of that game until they shot themselves in the foot penalty-wise, and if they play that exact same style of hockey without the penalties, they win on Friday night. So, I don’t know. This Oilers team loves to give games away and come back and win series. I don’t think it’s overly concerning.

Frank Seravalli: That is all the more damning when you have a night like that from McDavid and Draisaitl, and you don’t find a way to put a dub on the board, that’s problematic. To highlight exactly the point that you made about Skinner…it’s feast or famine for Stuart Skinner. He’s played six games so far in the playoffs. He either has a shutout or he has a game that’s .833 [save percentage] or below. There’s no middle ground. There’s none. The other four games he’s played have been .833 SV% or below. Think about that stat.

Series [is] far from over. … But playing against this team in Dallas, it’s different. It just is. So, when you spot them one on a night that they shouldn’t have won, what happens on other nights when you don’t have it? I think you’re just putting yourself in a precarious position.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…