I had my own beer league game tonight, we won 6-1, so I watched Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on a slight tape delay this evening.
I watched the first period at home, drove to my game, and then walked into the locker room for my game when the Edmonton Oilers had a 3-1 lead.
I got back to my phone after the game, and saw the Dallas Stars won 6-3, then drove home and watched back the tape of the second and third period.
Pretty wild night where Dallas stormed back in the third period with a statement to move within three games of reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
This is the 20/20, even if it’s slightly delayed from the typical delivery time.
1. Special teams defined this matchup in 2024.
The Oilers penalty kill was elite and the power play scored four times in Games 5 and 6 of the 2024 Western Conference Final to cancel out anything good that Dallas did at even strength, particular in that one-sided Game 6.
That special teams advantage looked like it would continue into this series.
The Stars first power play in the first period was lifeless, and the minute of 5-on-4 at the end of the second period also looked pretty pitiful.
But then the Stars scored thrice on the power play in a span of six minutes to open the third period, the Oilers got rattled, and Dallas took a 1-0 series lead.
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