On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are back, which means that for the next two months, we’ll get non-stop exciting action in the NHL as we witness history in another team looking to win a championship. Here at Daily Faceoff, we’ll be keeping you in the loop of everything that happened in the playoffs, every day until the Stanley Cup is hoisted in June.
There were many facets of the Edmonton Oilers game that could have been blamed for Game 1’s blown lead to the Dallas Stars. Their discipline. Their penalty kill. Stuart Skinner. It wasn’t a pretty game for Edmonton, but they had to learn from it and put on a better performance in Game 2.
And Game 2 was certainly much more improved. The Oilers only gave the Stars two power plays (compared to the five that the Stars took themselves). The Oilers killed both penalties. And not only did they not allow a power play goal, they didn’t allow a goal period, with the Skinner stopping all 24 shots that he faced in a 3-0 win.
It wasn’t a dominant or stifling performance from Edmonton, but it was consistent and it got the job done, particularly in the first two periods, much like Game 1. They outshot the Stars 23-16 in that span, and had a 13-6 edge in high-danger scoring chances and a 2.97-1.68 edge in expected goals.
And they were once again rewarded with actual goals. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins opened the scoring just six minutes into the first period with a power play marker, and then late in the second period, Brett Kulak and Connor Brown scored just 73 seconds apart to make it 3-0.
The Stars did take over a bit more in the third, but the Oilers managed to hang on this time and not allow anything past Skinner, although it helped that he was also making some excellent saves in the process.
https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1926105137539428660
And to make matters worse for the Stars, they lost Roope Hintz in the third period as well, although we don’t quite know the extent of his injury yet.
Roope Hintz needed to be helped to the locker room after this brutal slash from Darnell Nurse#TexasHockey | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/GZggmVOqMM
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 24, 2025
The Oilers held onto that 3-0 lead and didn’t need to add to it to win. With that, they tie the series and head back to Edmonton with home ice advantage in what has now become a best-of-five series. Meanwhile, Skinner continues his weird trend of either getting shutouts or having a sub-.833 save percentage in the playoffs with his third shutout of the playoffs.
More must-reads:
- Red Wings set to finally honor franchise legend Sergei Fedorov
- Blue Jackets sign former first-round pick to professional tryout
- The '2024 NFL rushing TD leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
What Should a Maple Leafs Captain Look Like in 2025-26?
The debate about Auston Matthews and the captaincy isn’t really about him—it’s about what people think a Toronto Maple Leafs captain should be. That word, captain, carries more weight in Toronto than almost anywhere else in the NHL. It’s about history, identity, and the city’s expectations, as much as it is about the player wearing the “C.” Matthews’ Leadership Is of the Quiet Kind For plenty of fans and probably most of his teammates, Matthews checks the boxes. He’s one of the best players in the world, he works hard, he rarely looks rattled, and he sets a high standard just by being himself. Not everyone wants their captain screaming in the room or punching walls after a bad period. Sometimes, leading quietly is enough. But for others, that’s not the Maple Leafs’ way. To them, a captain in Toronto should look like he’s dragging the team through fire when the games really matter. That’s why names like Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour always come up. They weren’t just talented—they made the fight visible. They showed grit, defiance, and a connection to the city’s underdog spirit. Fans who comment at the bottom of posts I write on The Hockey Writers keep circling back to those images. One even suggested putting together a highlight reel of past captains as a blueprint for Matthews to study. Another floated the idea of adding Gilmour to Legends Row, as a reminder of what leadership can look like in Toronto. Those aren’t small gestures—they show how much people are still measuring today’s stars against yesterday’s heroes. The Ongoing Debate About What Makes an Effective Leader That point of view might be unfair to Matthews. Hockey has changed, and players lead in different ways now. He’s never going to be Clark dropping the gloves or Gilmour buzzing all over the ice. But in Toronto, fair doesn’t always matter. What matters is the story fans want their captain to tell. And that’s why this leadership conversation won’t end anytime soon. Matthews might be the team’s best player by a mile, but until he puts his own stamp on what a Maple Leafs captain looks like—whether it’s through playoff performances, visible emotion, or something new—the debate is going to follow him.
Russell Westbrook already made his biggest free-agency mistake
A first-ballot Hall of Famer whenever he decides to hang it up, Russell Westbrook has long been revered as one of the NBA's premier point guards, both with his aggressive play and infectious energy. Despite the former MVP's impressive resume, though, he remains unsigned nearly two months after free agency opened on June 30. It's no secret that Westbrook is no longer an All-Star-caliber player, but it's certainly jarring to see his name alongside the summer's other leftovers. Over the last two seasons, Russ has willingly accepted a bench role and shown his ability to contribute even without being the offense's focal point. He finished top-10 in Sixth Man of the Year voting with both the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023-24 and the Denver Nuggets in 2024-25. The Nuggets may have been Westbrook's most seamless fit since the 36-year-old left the Oklahoma City Thunder, which brings us to the key mistake he made this offseason: He decided to bet on himself when his career was trending south. It's understandable why Westbrook decided to decline his player option with Denver. $3.5 million is pocket change relative to today's NBA salaries, so it's possible the nine-time All-Star expected to land a bigger payday on name brand alone. But that's no longer the case with Westbrook. The Nuggets, like several teams before them, took a chance on Westbrook, whose play has been nothing short of a wild card in recent years. Alongside Nikola Jokic, though, he found success operating off-ball by utilizing his natural explosiveness, a sensible calling card for one of basketball history's most athletic playmakers. It seemed like the perfect spot for Westbrook to finish out his career. Instead, he has continued to seek out a more lucrative deal with a team that is looking to give him more offensive freedom. While the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks are both reportedly interested in adding his services, neither team can offer both a higher salary and an expanded role. It also seems unlikely that Westbrook will find a more seamless fit for himself than what he had in Denver. Whether it's due to his erratic offensive tendencies or his relentless determination to involve himself in every action, it's easy to see why teams have to talk themselves into Westbrook at this point in his career. It appears that Russ will finally be picked up soon, but the damage has already been done. The two-time scoring champion already gave up his best chance at winning a title once he departed from Denver.
Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly
Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard patched things up Sunday after years of feuding. But even while describing their rapprochement, O'Neal couldn't keep from teasing his longtime nemesis. The "Big Aristotle" was at the BIG3 playoffs Sunday to watch Howard's L.A. Riot play the Chicago Triplets. In the middle of describing to Rachel Nichols how he and Howard had made peace, O'Neal broke off his explanation to make fun of Howard for missing a dunk. The two Hall of Fame centers had sparred for years, despite their common ground as former members of the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. Some of the tension seemed to be due to Howard adopting O'Neal's "Superman" nickname, though O'Neal claimed to Nichols that he was simply being tough on Howard to motivate him. That explanation doesn't account for the time O'Neal mocked Howard for playing basketball in the Taiwanese league or the decade-plus he's spent roasting Howard on his podcast, in public appearances and on "Inside the NBA." Still, it appears that the two have made peace. Despite O'Neal being left off the original list of presenters, he insisted that he'll be among a group of Hall of Famers inducting Howard Sept. 6, including Dominique Wilkins, Robert Parish, Dennis Rodman and Patrick Ewing. It means that two of the most dominant big men of their eras have finally buried the hatchet. It's added a new level of interest to the Hall of Fame ceremonies, and it should be a sweet moment between O'Neal and Howard. As long as Howard doesn't mention Superman.
Changing of the guard: Power ranking 2025's NFL Week 1 QB changes
The Indianapolis Colts announced Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback on Tuesday, making them the 12th team to have a different starting QB from Week 1 last season. Who's better off, and who will regret making a switch? Below, we rank the 12 quarterbacks from worst to best, plus reveal whether each team upgraded or downgraded this offseason. 12. New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough 2024 Week 1 starter: Derek Carr The Saints are the league's only team without a named Week 1 starter. Both candidates have experienced some highs and lows in August, with little separating the two before an informative preseason Week 3 game on Saturday against the Denver Broncos. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 11. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones 2024 Week 1 starter: Anthony Richardson Sr. Richardson's benching signals a massive failure on the part of the Colts front office, led by general manager Chris Ballard, and head coach Shane Steichen, who was tasked with developing the raw prospect into an NFL starter. Over Jones' last 16 starts with the New York Giants from 2023-24, he averaged 186.2 passing yards per game and threw 10 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 10. Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco 2024 Week 1 starter: Deshaun Watson After a successful five-game stint with the Browns in 2023, Flacco, 40, is back for another run. While undoubtedly an improvement over Watson, the 18-year veteran has an alarming 15 interceptions in 13 games (11 starts) over the past two seasons. Verdict: UPGRADE 9. Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward 2024 Week 1 starter: Will Levis The Titans should expect the natural rookie up-and-downs from Ward, 2025's No. 1 overall pick. Over his first two preseason starts, Ward is 7-of-15 for 109 yards. Still, he's a vast improvement over Levis, who provided more comedic gold than wins last season. Verdict: UPGRADE 8. New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson 2024 Week 1 starter: Daniel Jones Wilson is in the twilight of his career, but the 10-time Pro Bowler, who has 42 touchdowns and 13 interceptions since 2023, has a much higher floor than Jones. Verdict: UPGRADE 7. New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields 2024 Week 1 starter: Aaron Rodgers Fields is a dynamic runner and showed improvement as a passer in six starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. But after signing a short two-year deal in free agency, it's clear there remains doubt over whether he can be a long-term starter in the league. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 6. Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy 2024 Week 1 starter: Sam Darnold McCarthy could be better in the long run than Darnold, but we'd expect the 2024 first-rounder, who missed all of last season with a torn meniscus, to offer fewer rewards than his predecessor early in his career. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 5. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold 2024 Week 1 starter: Geno Smith Darnold was one of the best stories in 2024, ending the year with 4,315 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 regular season. However, his disappointing end to the season and struggles against pressure make it harder to see him as any better than the quarterback he replaces. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 4. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. 2024 Week 1 starter: Kirk Cousins Penix was promising in a three-game sample size at the end of 2024, quickly forming a connection with wideout Drake London, who had 22 receptions on 39 targets, 352 yards and two touchdowns during the span. Verdict: UPGRADE 3. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye 2024 Week 1 starter: Jacoby Brissett The plan was always for Brissett to keep the seat warm for Maye, who looked like a potential star in 12 starts last season, ending the year with 2,276 passing yards and 421 rushing yards. Verdict: UPGRADE 2. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers 2024 Week 1 starter: Justin Fields While far from his peak, Rodgers can still sling the football. Per NFL Pro data, he finished last season No. 5 in expected points added per dropback on deep pass attempts (balls that travel at least 20 air yards). Verdict: UPGRADE 1. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith 2024 Week 1 starter: Gardner Minshew Smith completed 70.4 percent of his pass attempts in 2024, two seasons after leading the NFL in completion percentage (69.8 percent). He's proved himself time and time again over the past three seasons and will likely do it again in 2025. Verdict: UPGRADE
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
