Stats! They’re an inseparable part of any sport, but don’t always tell the full picture. Take the Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars Game 4 for example. While the scoreboard tells you it was a 4-1 win for the Oilers, it doesn’t mean they completely shut down the Stars. In fact, it was a close contest until the third period, with big saves and shots bouncing off posts. “Maybe we’re trying to shoot even too hard, trying too much maybe offensively,” said Mikko Rantanen.
But some stats do tell the bigger picture, and right now, one such number has cast a shadow over the Stars’ Stanley Cup dreams. After the Oilers beat the Stars in Game 4 of the Western Conference final, a worrying stat emerged for Dallas, courtesy of ESPN. “The Oilers haven’t lost a 3-1 series lead since 1989,” revealed a post. Now, that’s 36 years of not losing a series where they lead 3-1. Yet, Dallas’ worries don’t end there.
As per the ESPN post, the Edmonton Oilers hold a 17-1 series-winning record when leading by two games. Meanwhile, the Stars have a 0-16 losing record when trailing a best-of-7 series by two games. However, this isn’t how their conference finals started. The Dallas Stars came into the finals after putting on multiple offensive clinics against the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets.
And it looked like their new Finnish Mafia with the addition of Miko Rantanen would avenge last year’s Western final loss against the Oilers. The Stars scored goals in Game 1, snatching away Edmonton’s 3-1 lead and scoring five times in the third period. “Oh yeah, you always think you figured it out and then you get humbled in a hurry,” said Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch.
The Oilers haven’t lost a 3-1 series lead since 1989 pic.twitter.com/AWddL4xEuN
— ESPN (@espn) May 28, 2025
Who could’ve known just how poetic that line would turn out to be? That’s because just when the Dallas Stars thought they may have figured it out, the Edmonton Oilers hit back. Connor McDavid called their first loss “a one-off,” and it sure seems that way right now. But the Oilers haven’t been unscathed either.
Edmonton Oilers lose star player ahead of Game 5
Despite the 4-1 score indicating total dominance, Game 4 was filled with ups and downs for the Edmonton Oilers. They had to withstand a furious offensive push from the Stars early in the game. “We’re not coming in here and getting dominated the whole game, right?” said forward Jason Robertson. “We’re doing good things, and it’s not going in for us. We still have life,” he added.
And things won’t get any earlier for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5, as they lost Zach Hyman midway through the very first period. The Oilers forward has been a crucial piece of the offensive puzzle. His aggressive play style, five goals, and six assists have helped the Oilers come as far as they have. That being said, everyone else stepped up when Hyman couldn’t continue after ‘s hit seemgly hurt the forward’s arm.
Credits: Instagram/Edmonton Oilers
The Stars didn’t make life easy for the Edmonton Oilers’ defense. Many thought they had the momentum after equalizing in the second period. However, Corey Perry restored his team’s lead barely three minutes after the Stars equalized. What’s more? The NHL veteran made history in the process.
With his goal, Hyman tied four Hockey Hall of Famers for the most goals in a single postseason by players aged 39 or older. The 40-year-old equalled Teemu Selanne, Mark Recchi, Ron Francis, and Jean Beliveau as he sparked the Oilers’ scoring spree that saw them win the game 4-1. However, despite the historical odds being in their favor, the Oilers can’t slack off in Game 5 if they want to play back-to-back Stanley Cup finals.
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