Edmonton Oilers' Mattias Ekholm (14) and Connor McDavid (97) celebrate a goal against the Dallas Stars during third-period action in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs in Edmonton on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
The Florida Panthers are a victory away from securing a berth in the Stanley Cup final and the Edmonton Oilers are looking for a road win in a pivotal Game 5 at Dallas.
It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend for hockey fans as the NHL’s conference finals enter the home stretch.
HELPER HEAVY
The Dallas Stars are hoping a return to home ice on Friday will get them back on the winning track after a Game 4 loss in Edmonton on Wednesday night.
The Stars opened strong with an early 2-0 lead before the Oilers responded with five unanswered goals to pull even in the best-of-seven series. Oilers star Connor McDavid had three assists for his 16th career three-point playoff game.
It was McDavid’s fourth three-assist effort of the playoffs, moving him one behind Wayne Gretzky for the most in a single NHL post-season. The Great One had five three-assist games in the 1985 playoffs.
QUESTION MARK
The status of Stars defenceman Chris Tanev is uncertain ahead of Game 5 against the Oilers.
He blocked a shot off the right foot in the second period of Game 4 and did not return.
Tanev has one assist in 17 games and is averaging over 22 minutes of ice time. He leads the Stars with 68 blocked shots in the playoffs.
PURRING PANTHERS
The three-game overtime streak is over in the Eastern Conference final.
The Florida Panthers hung on for a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Thursday night to take a 3-2 series lead.
Sam Bennett’s empty-net goal served as the winner after New York’s Alexis Lafreniere tallied with 50 seconds left to make it a one-goal game.
The only other regulation victory in the series came in the series opener on May 22 when Florida blanked New York 3-0.
FINAL SCHEDULE
The 2024 Stanley Cup final is scheduled to begin on June 8, the NHL said in a release.
The Eastern Conference champion will play the Western Conference champion in a seven-game series with each game to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
If the final goes the distance, Game 7 will be played on June 24.
LARSSON ADDITION
Kalle Larsson has joined the Oilers’ hockey operations department after spending 11 seasons with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.
The NHL team said the 42-year-old will serve as senior director of player development.
Larsson will work with senior management and coaches for the Oilers and the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors to formulate and implement individual development plans for each player in the organization, the team said.
The native of Goteborg, Sweden, will also be responsible for overseeing and managing all areas of development for the Oilers’ draft selections and signed prospects.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2024.
