The Edmonton Oilers have got a hot goalie in Stuart Skinner, home-ice advantage and a fan base riled up over La Bamba. Now if the players can score goals on Jake Oettinger, they might even grab a series lead against the Dallas Stars tonight.
Here are five things to know about the NHL playoffs:
NO WHISTLES WHILE THEY WORK
Edmonton bench boss Kris Knoblauch expects to make a few minor changes for tonight’s game against the visiting Dallas Stars.
The Oilers’ coach liked his team’s hustle in splitting the first two games of the Western Conference final series in Dallas, and said they had enough “good looks” and chances to score goals that proved elusive in their 2-1 setback in Saturday’s Game 2.
He stickhandled carefully around questions about referees putting their whistles away and the lack of Oiler power plays in Dallas. The players followed his cue and said they needed to be more aggressive going around Dallas defenders.
Edmonton took Thursday’s opener 3-2 in double overtime despite going on the man advantage once — a call for too many men on the ice — compared to 10 minutes of power-play time for the Stars.
The Oilers and Stars got one power play each through the first 58 minutes of Game 2 before a couple of late calls either way with the result all but decided.
DJ BACKTRACKS ON LA BAMBA
There is a reason hockey broadcasts have a delay button in the production booth — some of the trash-talk offerings chirped near a live microphone are the things you’d get your mouth washed with soap for repeating.
Speaking of questionable taste, ESPN hockey writer Ryan S. Clark was amazed Saturday that moments after Dallas beat Edmonton 3-1 to level the Western Conference final series at a game apiece, the sound crew at American Airlines Center played La Bamba as the Oilers left the ice.
As expected, Oilers Nation went livid on social media, reminding the Stars’ fans that the song is a special tribute to the Oilers’ late dressing room attendant Joey Moss (Alzheimer’s) and six-year-old superfan Ben Stelter (brain cancer) and only played after a win in Edmonton to remember the loss of the popular personalities.
Yesterday, Stars’ DJ Jonathon (Shippy) Shipman apologized for playing the “happy, fun win song,” saying had he known the significance of the song, he never would have gone there.
A HEALTHY MIX OF AGING STARS
Tyler Seguin doesn’t look his age, but the 32-year-old forward with the Dallas Stars can still remember life without a smartphone.
When asked how he and other veterans deal with the “young ones” on the diverse team, the product of Brampton, Ont., says the younger players keep the vets updated on “TikToks” and they return the favour by keeping them updated “on the situation.”
PANTHERS LOOK FOR EXTRA GROWL
The Florida Panthers, losers of back-to-back overtime games to the New York Rangers, need to get the growl back for Tuesday’s Game 4 says Cats’ coach Paul Maurice.
He was pleased that his team battled back from a 4-2 deficit in the third period yesterday to tie the game, but takes little satisfaction in “being close” at this time of year.
Maurice said sometimes it’s good to flush the past and focus forward, but after falling behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final, he says his players should “let it burn for a while” and “be a little growly” when the series resumes at Amerant Bank Arena.
REMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Matt Rempe, the beanstalk that jacks up the New York Rangers’ hitting game, played a “quiet” four minutes in yesterday’s 5-4 overtime win in Florida.
The six-foot-seven Calgary native had a penalty, three hits, was plus-one and managed a shot.
Rempe was stoked to be part of back-to-back overtime wins, but was pleasantly surprised when his coach put him out for overtime in Friday’s Game 2, which the Rangers won 2-1 in OT.
He said when “Lavy” (Peter Laviolette) called his name to play meaningful minutes in a critical game, he first thought was “Jiminy Crickets, let’s go!”
In Game 2 he played 10 minutes and had nine hits and stayed out of the penalty box.