Stars’ Marchment Clutch in Game 2 Win vs. Oilers – Hockey Writers – NHL News
The Dallas Stars evened their Western Conference Finals series against the Edmonton Oilers with a 3-1 win on home ice. The Stars, who dropped Game 1 in overtime, find themselves back in the series. This was not a do-or-die contest for them, but a loss would have put their season in jeopardy.
Instead, based on the first game of the series, the Stars and Oilers came out hot out of the gate. On a 2-on-1 run with Logan Stankoven, captain Jamie Benn fired a long shot, which Edmonton netminder Stuart Skinner couldn’t see with 3:39 left in the first half. Less than a minute later, Oilers’ Connor Brown scored the second goal of his 28-game postseason career on a 2-on-2 rush. However, after that the goals stopped.
It wasn’t until less than four minutes into the third period that the game got its next goal. Defenseman Ryan Suter fired a point shot that was deflected by Mason Marchment past Skinner. Considering that Game 1 only had four goals scored in regulation, the Oilers getting a goal back in the entire period in front of them was more of a challenge than it sounds. They couldn’t come back.
Dallas and Edmonton traded chances throughout the game, but the Stars and goalie Jake Oettinger held down the fort to win. Both he and Skinner were dominant, stopping a combined 50 of 53 shots.
Esa Lindell got the Stars’ insurance marker with just over two minutes left in the third period, sinking an empty net from long range. Benn and Wyatt Johnston picked up assists, giving them two points apiece on the night.
Notes from the game
For just the fourth time in the postseason, Oiler captain Connor McDavid was caught on the score sheet. For the first time, Leon Draisaitl did not register a single point. The Stars did an excellent job of shutting down Edmonton’s main source of offense, something the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks both failed to do – a big reason why the Oilers took those teams out in the first and second rounds.
Miro Heiskanen of the Stars registered his 14th point of the postseason in just 15 games. The two-way defenseman has reached a whole new level in the postseason, becoming one of Dallas’ most valuable producers and a man who eats up a lot of minutes.
Related: Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen on Pace for Record-Breaking Playoffs
Oettinger won the 22nd game of his playoff career, officially giving him the second-highest total in Stars history. He now trails only Ed Belfour for the career mark in team history, who won an astounding 44 in 73 postseason contests with Dallas.
Throughout the postseason, the Oilers have a 4-2 record on home ice at Rogers Place, while the Stars have a 5-1 record on the road. With a chance for each team to go up 2-1 in the series, we should see another very competitive game. So far, these games have come down to the wire.
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