EDMONTON — It wouldn’t be the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs without a little pregame player watch drama.
But there’s nothing dramatic about an injury that could significantly impact the Dallas Stars.
Forward Roope Hintz, who was helped down the tunnel in the third period of Game 2 after taking a slash from Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse, was ruled out for Game 3 with a lower-body injury. Hintz did skate during warmups but ultimately did not suit up.
The Stars went on to lose 6-1 in their first road game of the Western Conference Final — also marking their first back-to-back loss in the 2025 playoffs.
Rogers Place has a reputation as a tough building to play in, and Game 3 proved it. But the biggest takeaway? You can’t count out Stuart Skinner.
The Oilers goaltender, who was briefly replaced by Calvin Pickard earlier in the playoffs, had 35 saves on 36 shots and now has three shutouts in his last four starts.
Edmonton leads the series 2-1 heading into another home game Tuesday night.
When the Oilers started scoring, they couldn’t stop. Their first two goals were within 36 seconds of each other.
Both Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman had two goals. Evan Brouchard and former Dallas Star John Klingberg also found the scoresheet.
“Tonight was one of those nights where they were opportunistic, and then once they got the lead, we were pushing to get back in,” Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said.
The postgame mood in the Dallas locker room was calm, maybe too calm. There wasn’t much panic or visible concern.
Jason Robertson scored the lone goal for the Stars. The goal was initially credited to Lian Bichsel but was later changed after video review confirmed it deflected off Robertson’s stick — marking his first goal of the postseason.
Robertson, who returned from injury in Game 1 of the second-round series against Winnipeg, was asked at the start of the series against the Oilers if he felt 100 percent.
“I think at this point going into this round it doesn’t matter what I feel,” Robertson said.
“Gotta go out there and try to do what I’ve been doing.”
He was surprised to learn postgame that the goal was credited to him. “They gave me it?” he asked reporters.
Dallas will now look to respond in Game 4 in an attempt to tie the series at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.
