Some teams perform their best with their backs proverbially against the wall. We will find out if that’s the case for the Dallas Stars.
The Edmonton Oilers have opened up a 3-1 lead over the Stars in the Western Conference finals, heading into Game 5 Thursday night (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+).
Can the Stars send it back to Alberta for Game 6 on Saturday? Or will the Oilers close them out and join the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for a second consecutive year?
Here are notes on the matchup from ESPN Research, as well as betting intel from ESPN BET:
More from Game 4: Recap | Grades
Matchup notes
Dallas Stars at Edmonton Oilers
Game 5 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN+
The Oilers’ odds to win the Western Conference finals are now -1200, up from -375 heading into Game 4. Meanwhile, the Stars’ odds to rally for the win are now +600, up from +280 when the series was 2-1. Edmonton is now +110 to win the Cup, while Dallas is +1400. Connor McDavid leads the Conn Smythe odds list, at +130; Leon Draisaitl (+650) is the only other player in this series under 10-1.
Edmonton is now 6-1 at home this postseason, outscoring opponents 33-17. The Oilers are 17-1 in best-of-seven series all-time when leading 3-1; their only loss was the 1989 division semifinals against the Los Angeles Kings.
Dallas has been outscored 10-0 on the road in the first period this postseason, the first team in Stanley Cup playoff history to fail to score a first-period goal on the road through eight games of a single playoff year. They have lost all 16 best-of-seven series when trailing 3-1.
Draisaitl had a power-play goal and an assist in Game 4, the 13th game-opening playoff goal in his career, which ties Wayne Gretzky and Glenn Anderson for the most in franchise history. It was his 20th career power-play goal in the postseason, which is fourth in Oilers’ franchise history behind Gretzky (23), Jari Kurri (22) and Anderson (22).
With another multipoint game, McDavid now has more career playoff games with two or more points (45) than one or zero points combined (44).
Stuart Skinner has gone 5-1 in his past six starts, and his 24th career playoff win moves him ahead of Andy Moog into third on the franchise leaderboard; Bill Ranford is second, with 25, while Grant Fuhr is No. 1 with 74.
Jason Robertson scored a power-play goal in the Game 4 loss. His seven power-play goals over the past four postseasons are the most for the Stars in that span.
Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen finished with no goals on two shots on goal. He now has a seven-game goalless drought, which is tied for his longest in a single postseason (2022, with the Colorado Avalanche).
With his next win, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger will move up the leaderboard for playoff wins by a U.S.-born netminder. His 32 are tied for fourth with Jon Casey and Frank Brimsek, behind Tom Barrasso (61), Jonathan Quick (49) and Mike Richter (41).
Scoring leaders
GP: 15 | G: 5 | A: 19
GP: 17 | G: 9 | A: 12
