Oilers lead Stars after second period in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals
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The Edmonton Oilers have a 3-1 lead over the Dallas Stars after the second period in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday afternoon.
The Stars began the second period on the power play after Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen was given a two-minute penalty for high-sticking with 2.6 seconds left in the first period. Dallas failed to score on the man advantage.
Edmonton went to the power play halfway through the period as Stars defenceman Lian Bichsel went to the box for tripping Oilers forward Corey Perry.
The Oilers got a five-on-three power play for 18 seconds after Sam Steel tripped Leon Draisaitl but Edmonton failed to score on either opportunity.
Bichel got the Stars on the board as he took a pass from Mikko Rantanen and beat Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner through the five hole to make it 2-1. Matt Duchene picked up the other assist on the goal.
Oilers forward Connor Brown went to the dressing room shortly after taking a big hit from Stars defenceman Alex Petrovic.
McDavid scored his second of the game with 18.8 seconds to go in the second after he picked up the puck and snapped it past Oettinger on the blocker side to make it 3-1.
Evan Bouchard opened the scoring with just under six minutes remaining in the opening frame as his shot through traffic found its way past Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger for the 1-0 lead. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Brett Kulak picked up the assist on the goal, Bouchard’s sixth of the playoffs.
Connor McDavid doubled the Oilers' lead 36 seconds after Bouchard scored as he completed a passing play with Nugent-Hopkins and snapped the puck past Oettinger for his fourth of the postseason.
Prior to the game, Stars forward Roope Hintz took the ice for warmups but didn't take part in line rushes before he was ruled out for Game 3 with a lower-body injury.
Hintz took a slash to his left leg from Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse early in the third period of Game 2. He had to be helped to the locker room and did not return to the game.
Hintz has five goals and six assists for 11 points in 15 playoff games this year.
The Stars took Game 1 of the series after they scored five goals in the third period to rally back from a two-goal deficit to win 6-3.
Edmonton answered back in Game 2 as Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist and Skinner stopped all 25 shots he faced for the 3-0 shutout victory.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.