In the third final game of the NHL’s Western Conference, Dallas’ Roope Hintz made an effective return from injury. Jason Robertson scored a hat trick for Edmonton.
The Dallas Stars defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL playoffs for the second time, when the team celebrated a victory away from home with 3–5 goals. The Texans now lead the Western Conference final series 2–1.
Edmonton took a 2–0 lead in the opening set of the match by Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid’s with goals.
The first periods of the Texan team have been difficult in recent games, as the star jerseys have managed to score only one goal in the first period in their last four playoff games.
At the beginning of the second period, however, Dallas got into the game. Stars scored three goals in less than three minutes. Jason Robertson turned on the red light twice, Wyatt Johnson hit once.
The Edmonton striker, who was sidelined for several games due to an ankle injury Adam Henrique scored his team’s 3–3 equalizer at the end of the second period.
However, Robertson capped his night with his third hit midway through the third period. The Yankee striker managed to cool down the previous 10 games in a goalless streak.
– I scored the first goal and then I was like, okay, I’ll shoot from everywhere, Robertson recounted his evening in an interview with Sporstnet.
After this, Edmonton did not rise again and the Finnish defender Miro Heiskanen beautified the final score of the match 5–3 to an empty net.
The goal was Heiskanen’s sixth and 15th power point in the playoffs. The 24-year-old Finn is Edmonton’s second point guard in the playoffs by Evan Bouchard (22 points) after.
The teams will next meet early Thursday morning Finnish time.
Dallas’ Finnish forward Roope Hintz returned to his team’s lineup in the match after being sidelined for the last four games due to a lower body injury. On his return, the Finn grabbed two assist points.
– It’s not fun to watch games from the sidelines while injured, but I still tried to keep myself ready for the game all the time, Finn said in an NHL interview.
In the interview, Hintz also took a stand on his team’s ineffective opening sets.
– We have to fix our game so that the first sets would be better for us.
NHL expert and the best scorer of all time Wayne Gretzky gave recognition after the match to Dallas.
– In a losing position, they are able to be calm and cool-headed. The team’s best players stepped up when needed. They deserved to win.
Captain McDavid of Edmont was expectedly disappointed for his team’s performance.
– All losses sting. Losing is, of course, a shame.
Toronto and Vancouver supporters in the stands
Supporters of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks, who had already fallen out of the playoffs, had arrived in Edmonton to watch the third match of the Western Conference finals.
Sportsnet’s messaging service X’s video shows how Vancouver’s team known as the Green Men is watching the match together with supporters dressed in the blue and white colors of Toronto.
A Toronto supporter nicknamed “Dartguy” in X told before the match having brought a few Canadian friends to tonight’s match.
“As hard as it is, I’m adding a little orange to my blue and white outfit tonight to support the last remaining Canadian team. And hey, I even brought a few friends along to help me with it.
The NHL playoffs continue next night, when in the fourth meeting of the Eastern Conference final pair, the New York Rangers try to seek their second consecutive victory over the Florida Panthers. Panther shirts lead the series with match wins 2–1.
The NHL’s scorers of the night from page 235 of teletext.
Connor McDavid’s comment added at 8:13 am.