Dallas Stars Struggle in Playoffs, Face Pressure Against Edmonton Oilers

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Dallas Stars are finding themselves in a challenging position as they trail 2-1 in the Western Conference finals against the Edmonton Oilers. This is the first time the Stars have woken up behind in a playoff series in five weeks, having built a strong lead earlier in the postseason.

Through 16 playoff games, the Stars have struggled to maintain consistency. They have given up the first goal in 13 of those contests, which has hindered their ability to secure wins. Key players like Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene have not delivered the offensive output needed to support the team. In their last two games, Dallas has been outscored 9-1.

Goaltender Jake Oettinger, who was previously a standout performer this playoffs, has faced criticism for his recent play. He started strongly with a league-high 8 wins and impressive statistics, including a .919 save percentage. However, his performance dipped in the conference finals, where he has posted a .842 save percentage while allowing an average of 4.02 goals per game.

During Game 3, Oettinger allowed six goals on just 24 shots, marking his poorest outing of the postseason. “It’s all a part of the ups and downs of the playoffs,” Oettinger said. He acknowledged the need for improvement but remains optimistic as the team prepares for Game 4. “I can just pull on the past. I’ve been down 2-1 on the road before,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to lead their team offensively, with McDavid recently taking over the scoring lead in the playoffs. In contrast, Stars’ Mikko Rantanen, who had been a top scorer for Dallas, has been quiet, managing only two assists in the last several games.

Dallas coach Pete DeBoer remains supportive of Oettinger, saying, “The last person I’m worried about in our group is Jake Oettinger.” He expressed confidence in Oettinger’s ability to bounce back, especially given his solid track record in playoffs.

The Stars are aware that they cannot afford another poor performance as they look to regain their momentum. Notably, Dallas has a poor record when allowing four or more goals in a game, showing that their path to victory heavily relies on strong goaltending and an offensive resurgence.

As the series progresses, the Stars must overcome their current struggles or face elimination against a formidable Oilers team that has demonstrated offensive prowess this postseason.