West Nearly Conquered. Cup In Sight.
- Ivan Dawkins
- May 27
- 3 min read
McDavid, Draisaitl, Perry and the Oilers dismantle the Stars.
May 27, 2025 - Ivan Dawkins, BS3 Network COO/Staff Writer
EDMONTON!
The vibrant, diverse, smart city, where the legend rose on ice and the remaining contender in the West fell silent. I didn’t come to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to sit on my booty and take in the sights, sounds, scene and cuisine. I came, I saw, and the Stars were conquered. The Oilers triumphantly held their ground against a relentless onslaught from the Dallas Stars! The Stars unleashed over 30 shot attempts in the first period alone. Of those shot attempts, 16 of them made it to Edmonton's netminder S. Skinner. All 16 were skillfully handled by the Oilers' goaltender. The Oilers withstood a massive barrage from Dallas, and despite the pressure, it was the Oilers who came out on top, with Leon Draisaitl scoring a brilliant goal from one of their 10 shots on goal at the 11:23 mark, putting them ahead 1-0 in the first period! This left the Stars once again in a position of having to catch up, having been outscored 10-0 in away games during this year's playoffs.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Dallas Stars special teams were not very special at all tonight, which ultimately had a significant impact on the outcome of the game. The penalty kill, in particular, was porous, showing vulnerabilities that the Oilers were quick to exploit. Throughout the night, the Stars struggled to effectively clear the puck from their defensive zone, leading to extended possessions for their opponents during power plays. This lack of efficiency in the penalty kill allowed Edmonton to generate numerous scoring opportunities, putting immense pressure on Otter, the Stars' goaltender, who faced a shower of shots.
In terms of their power play, the Stars managed to convert only 1 out of 4 opportunities, which is far from an ideal conversion rate. This inefficiency not only reflects a failure to capitalize on advantageous situations but also indicates a lack of cohesion and execution among the players on the ice. Despite having skilled players capable of making plays, the power play unit struggled to establish a rhythm, often leading to rushed shots and missed opportunities. These missed chances to score during critical moments of the game ultimately kept the momentum away from the Stars.
In addition, the penalty kill statistics reveal that the Stars were only successful in killing 1 out of 3 penalties. Each time they were short-handed, the team seemed to lose its composure, allowing the opposing team to set up their offensive plays with relative ease. The inability to maintain discipline and effectively manage the game while shorthanded was a glaring issue that contributed to the overall loss. The stark reality is that these special teams' performances were literally the difference in the game.
MACK ATTACK FROM WAY-WAY BACK
Connor McDavid is rocking the postseason with an average of 1.53 points per game. With five postseasons averaging 1.50 PPG, he's sitting at 3rd all-time, just behind Gilbert Perreault (6) and Wayne Gretzky (10). He's on a roll with a 4-game point streak (2 goals, 4 assists) and is leading the Stanley Cup Playoffs in points (23) and assists (18). McDavid's got 98 career playoff assists in 89 games. Just 2 more, and he'll be the second fastest to hit 100 in NHL history. The Great One, Wayne Gretzky did it first with 100 assists in 70 games, while Doug Gilmour did it in 125 games.
NEON LEON
Leon Draisaitl decided to add some spice to the game by scoring his 7th goal and 22nd point of the playoffs in the first period, firing a laser during the powerplay. This makes him the 4th Oilers player to hit 20 powerplay goals in the postseason, joining the legendary Wayne Gretzky (23), Jari Kurri (22), and Glenn Anderson (22). Draisaitl is also on a roll, extending his point streak to 5 games (2G, 5A).
OILERS COUNTRY
Meanwhile, the fans were out in full force, strutting their stuff in Oiler overalls and orange three-piece Easter suits that would make even the Easter Bunny do a double-take. In this town, hockey isn't just a game, it's the runway show of the year! Rogers Place Arena was so loud, even the popcorn was shaking! As the clock hit zero, the crowd roared........
WE WANT THE CUP!!!
Ivan Dawkins is a journalist for bs3network.com - because someone has to make sense of this madness. Follow him on X at @ikingdawk before he tweets something he can't take back.
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Excellent Coverage Ivan Dawkins.The Stars gave it their all.
Love the I got to feed my fam quote, I think my boy Ty Law made that infamous comment back in early 2000s while battling Belichick for a contract. You took me way back.