Oilers’ 3 Stars in Western Conference Final

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, securing their spot in the Stanley Cup Final and setting up a highly anticipated rematch with the Florida Panthers. But before we get there, let’s reflect on the series with the Stars.

The entire team stepped up and made significant contributions. They lost Connor Brown and Zach Hyman to injury, with the latter ruled out for the season. Hyman is a massive loss, but this team is deep and has a next-man-up mentality. These injuries allowed Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner to return to the lineup, with both players producing in Game 5. With the team playing well, picking a few standouts was challenging. But here are the three stars of the Western Conference Final, including a few honourable mentions.

Honourable Mentions

It was hard to pick three players, so I would like to start with a few honourable mentions. These three players have been key pieces during Edmonton’s playoff run, especially against Dallas, and should be recognized.

Corey Perry

First, there’s the ageless wonder, Corey Perry. At 40 years old, Perry is still contributing at an elite level, which is impressive considering he was healthy scratched numerous times during last season’s playoff run. His speed has regressed, but he still has elite hands, especially in tight. He replaced Hyman on the top power-play unit, even before his unfortunate season-ending injury. The veteran winger is tied with Leon Draisaitl for the team’s playoff goal-scoring lead with seven, including two in this series. His two goals came in Games 4 and 5, on the power play from the blue paint. He will now be playing in his fifth Stanley Cup Final in six seasons. That’s an impressive feat.

Jake Walman

Next, there’s Jake Walman. He was exactly what Edmonton needed on the back end, and general manager Stan Bowman deserves credit for making it happen. This one addition drastically changed the complexion of the blue line, and he has fit in like a glove. He leads the team in blocked shots with 43, 11 more than second place, and 15 of those blocks came against Dallas. On top of that, he had four points against the Stars, including two in the series-clinching game. The blueliner is a great puck-mover and has come exactly as advertised.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Finally, Ryan Nugent Hopkins quietly had a good series. The longtime Oiler had nine points, including four multipoint games, and one three-point outing against the Stars. But, he was held off the scoresheet in Game 5, or else he would’ve been in the three stars.

Third Star: Leon Draisaitl

The Oilers’ star players continue to produce when the games matter most. Draisaitl had nine points in the Western Conference Final, including a point in each game, with three multipoint games and a three-point performance. He continues to deliver and has been the Oilers’ best player throughout this season, so this is no surprise. If the Oilers win the Cup, the German superstar will be a focal point and must continue producing at this level. He was quiet during last season’s Cup Final, but that can’t be the case this time. If Edmonton raises Lord Stanley, Draisaitl will also be among Edmonton’s three stars.

Second Star: Stuart Skinner

Thanks to a trio of power-play goals, Stuart Skinner had an underwhelming Game 1 according to the box score. He also let in a stinker through the five-hole in the third period of Game 5. But other than that, he was phenomenal in Games 2-4. He had a 25-save shutout in Game 2, stole Game 3 with 33 saves, and then stopped 28 of 29 in Game 4. He stopped 86 of 88 shots in Games 2-4, for a remarkable .977 save percentage (SV%). The Edmonton native finished the series with a .924 SV% and severely outplayed Jake Oettinger at the other end.

The Oilers’ netminder looked calm and composed in the net. Other than Game 1, when things unravelled, he looked in control for the most part. He let in a weak goal in Game 5 to allow the Stars within one, but he didn’t let that escalate. He buckled down, and the team played stingy defence in front of him the rest of the way. The 26-year-old made a great toe save moments after that goal to keep Edmonton ahead. He made numerous fantastic saves throughout the series, which frustrated Dallas. The Oilers were thoroughly outplayed in the first period of Game 3, but Skinner was there to bail them out and gave them a chance to find their footing. He came up big, and they need more of the same heading into the Stanley Cup Final.

First Star: Connor McDavid

What more needs to be said? Connor McDavid is the first star of most games, and this series was no different. This is a boring pick, but he was the best player on the ice. Like Nugent-Hopkins and Draisaitl, he also had nine points in this five-game series, including three goals, and four multipoint performances.