Stuart Skinner stars as Oilers rout Stars 6-1 in Game 3 of West final
Skinner outshines Oettinger again as Edmonton takes 2-1 series lead with commanding home win.
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| Stuart Skinner (#74) of the Edmonton Oilers pauses before Game Three of the Western Conference Final in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars at Rogers Place on May 25, 2025, in Edmonton, Alberta. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images |
By Widya Putri and Adila Ghina
Stuart Skinner allowed his first goal in over 120 minutes of playoff hockey on Sunday night, but that lone tally was a mere blemish on an otherwise brilliant performance by the Edmonton Oilers goaltender. In front of a raucous home crowd, Skinner delivered one of his finest outings of the postseason, turning aside 35 of 36 shots as the Oilers overwhelmed the Dallas Stars 6-1 in Game 3 of the Western Conference final. With the win, Edmonton takes a crucial 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Skinner’s standout showing reaffirmed his role as the difference-maker in this series, once again outdueling Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger — just as he did when the two teams clashed in last year’s playoffs. Stuart Skinner Oilers Game 3 accurately captures the story of a game where the Oilers' netminder was central to their commanding victory.
Skinner’s wall-like presence frustrates Stars
While Skinner entered the game riding a stretch of three shutouts in his last four starts, his workload in Game 3 was unlike any during that span. The Stars bombarded the Edmonton net with scoring chances, particularly during a second-period surge, but the 25-year-old Skinner stood tall.
The only puck to find its way past him came at 15:35 of the second period, when Jason Robertson tipped Lian Bichsel’s high-slot wrister through Skinner’s five-hole. At the time, the Oilers were already up 2-0 and firmly in control of the game.
Skinner’s best sequence came in that middle frame, as he flashed the leather on shots from Mikko Rantanen and Matt Duchene, denied Esa Lindell after a turnover from Leon Draisaitl, and stretched out to stop Wyatt Johnston at the far post. His ability to anticipate and react under pressure was the cornerstone of Edmonton’s defensive stand.
A crucial blocker save early in the third period on a Tyler Seguin shot prevented Dallas from building momentum. Moments later, Zach Hyman finished off a play at the other end, extending the Oilers' lead to 4-1 and breaking the Stars' resistance.
Oilers' offense fires on all cylinders
Connor McDavid rediscovered his scoring touch, lighting the lamp twice and leading a balanced Edmonton attack that buried six goals past Oettinger, who managed only 18 saves on 24 shots. Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, and John Klingberg also added goals, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins notched three assists. Hyman matched that point total with a goal and an assist of his own.
McDavid’s goals were a return to form. His first, a three-on-one rush late in the first period, followed a defensive breakdown by Stars blueliner Thomas Harley. The second came with 18.8 seconds remaining in the second period, immediately after Dallas had cut the deficit to 2-1. McDavid walked in off the right circle and fired a pinpoint shot past Oettinger on the stick side.
That quick strike deflated Dallas and restored Edmonton’s two-goal cushion heading into the third, where the Oilers poured it on with three more tallies.
Hintz’s absence leaves a void
The Stars were forced to play without top-line center Roope Hintz, who missed his second straight game after suffering a lower-body injury in Game 2. Though he participated briefly in warmups, he left the ice early and did not return, clearly unable to play through the injury.
Without Hintz, Dallas reshuffled its forward group. Jason Robertson moved up to the top line alongside Rantanen and Mikael Granlund, the latter shifting to center. While Granlund provided some structure, Robertson is clearly not at full strength following his own return from injury.
Despite getting credit for tipping Bichsel’s shot on Dallas’s lone goal, Robertson was unable to finish several other prime chances. Skinner’s pad save on him with five seconds left in the first period was one of the turning points, keeping the Oilers in front after a shaky defensive sequence.
Missed calls impact both sides
The officiating crew missed two key calls in the first period that had repercussions for both teams. At 13:52, Edmonton defenseman Brett Kulak fired the puck over the glass, an automatic delay-of-game penalty that was not called. The Oilers promptly scored on the ensuing shift to open the scoring.
Conversely, late in the period, Kasperi Kapanen was wrongly penalized for high-sticking Rantanen. Replays showed it was Rantanen’s own stick that struck him after Kapanen lifted it. Since it was not a double-minor, it could not be reviewed. Fortunately for Edmonton, they killed off the minor penalty to open the second.
Dallas’s even-strength woes continue
Despite their strong second-period push — including a 16-4 edge in five-on-five scoring chances and a 9-1 advantage in high-danger opportunities according to Natural Stat Trick — the Stars continued to struggle to finish. Head coach Pete DeBoer was candid in his assessment before the game, downplaying the significance of the numbers and pointing instead to the adversity Dallas has faced without key players like Hintz and defenseman Miro Heiskanen.
“You guys keep talking about five-on-five numbers,” DeBoer said. “We’ve gutted through two rounds missing some of our best guys. That’s the story.”
While the Stars have admirably battled past the Jets and Avalanche, their offensive firepower has not materialized consistently at even strength in this series. Against a surging Oilers team and a red-hot Stuart Skinner, that trend is becoming a major liability.
Oilers in control heading into Game 4
With the series shifting into its second half, Edmonton now holds the advantage both in momentum and scoreboard. Game 4, set for Tuesday night at Rogers Place, will be pivotal. A win would push the Oilers within a game of reaching their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006.
For the Stars, the path forward is more complicated. The availability of Roope Hintz remains uncertain, and Oettinger must find a way to bounce back after a rough outing. But above all, Dallas needs to solve the puzzle that is Stuart Skinner Oilers Game 3 — a performance that may have turned the tide of the series.
The Oilers are finding goals in bunches and now boast the top scorer in the playoffs, as McDavid moved ahead with 22 points. If Edmonton’s captain continues his upward trajectory — and Skinner maintains his dominance in the crease — the Oilers may finally be poised to break through the Western Conference ceiling.
As for Dallas, the margin for error just got slimmer.
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