May 25th, 2025, 7am
There’s a series, people! The Edmonton Oilers returned in a dominant way from a 6-3 defeat in Game 1.
This sets the pivotal Game 3 at the Western Conference Finals (3pm) on Sunday (ET, ABC/ESPN++).
Here are some notes on ESPN Research’s matchups and betting notes from ESPN BET:
Details from Game 2: Summary | Results
Matchup Notes
Dallas stars in the Edmonton Oilers
Game 3 | 3pm ET | ABC/ESPN+
The series is tied to 1-1, which has led to the odds of the series winners of ESPN BET. The Oilers are now the favorite of -140 (formerly +160), and the star is +120 (formerly -190). The winner odds for the Oilers Cup are now +200 (+350 after game 1) and the Stars are now +325 (+200 after game 1). Conor McDavid (+300) has the second-shortest odds to win Conn Smythe as playoff MVP. Florida Panthers goalkeeper Sergey Bobrovsky will top that table with +250.
The Oilers ran their record 3-2 in Game 2 of the Conference Finals/Stanley Cup semi-finals after starting the playoffs 0-2, being 9-2 in the last 11 games this postseason and losing a series opener. Other victories were in 1987 and 1991.
The star was closed for the fourth time this postseason. The team was never locked out four times before reaching the Stanley Cup final. Most were made by the 1950 Detroit Red Wings, 1997 Red Wings, 2012 New Jersey Devils… and 2020 Star.
Editor’s Pick
2 Related
By hitting the star in Game 2, Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner scored a shutout on his ninth goaltender, his first three wins of the postseason. Previous 8: Marty Turco in (2007, Stars), Nikolai Khabibulin (2004, Tampa Bay Lightning), Ed Belfour (2004, Toronto Maple Leafs), Patrick Lalime (2002, Ottawa Senators), Brent Johnson (2002, St. Louis Blues), Martin Brodeur (1995, Demils Brodeur) Dave Kerr (1940, New York Rangers)
Leon Draisaitl and McDavid are the fourth set of teammates in the last 25 years, scoring 20 points in consecutive Posteasons, joining Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel in addition to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins, 2008-09), Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel (Penguins, 2018-18). 2020-2021). The Penguins won the Cup in those two seasons (2009, 2017), while Lightning won both in 2020 and 2021.
Edmonton defender Evan Bouchard has registered his 23rd career multipoint playoff game in the past four seasons. This is the most in the four-postseason range by defensive men in Stanley Cup playoff history. His old record was 22 years old.
Star winger Mikko Lantanen did not score his fifth consecutive game goal after scoring nine points over the six-game spans this postseason. The five-game goalless drought is Rantanen’s second-longest winning streak in his tenure against Dallas, behind a seven-game winning streak on March 14-26. Lantanen has one goal in seven games this season with the Oilers (two with Colorado, one with Carolina and four with Dallas).
Heading into Game 3, Milo Heskanen has 13 career multi-point games in the playoffs. North Stars/Star’s franchise history defensive man is most connected to Sergei Zubov.
Star goalkeeper Jake Oatstinger is climbing the playoff victory leaderboard by US-born netminders. His 32 is fourth tied to John Casey and Frank Brimsek, behind Tom Barrathau (61), Jonathan Quick (49) and Mike Richter (41).
Scoring Leader
GP: 13 | G: 6 | A: 14
GP: 15 | G: 9 | A: 11
