Stanley Cup Playoffs Day 9: Oilers slay Kings and take commanding 3-2 series lead

The Carolina Hurricanes had the chance to be the first team to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the New York Islanders had a different agenda. Jake Oettinger picked up his second career playoff shutout in a monster 4-0 win for the Dallas Stars, while the Edmonto Oilers’ big guns toyed with the Los Angeles Kings all night.

The Islanders make it a 3-2 series in significant fashion

We’ll have to wait to see our first elimination of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The New York Islanders came out hot and ready, and they needed to be; their season depended on it. Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Pierre Engvall made the game 1-0, scoring his first career NHL playoff goal. During the second period, the Islanders, in a unique way, had Brock Nelson’s shot ricocheted off Carolina’s Sebastian Aho’s face and into the net. Aho went down the Hurricanes tunnel and to the bench but ultimately would return.

Just past the halfway point in the game, Hurricanes veteran Paul Stastny would find the back of the net off a tip for Carolina, making it a 2-1 affair. Not long after, though, Mathew Barzal fired home a worst shot to make it 3-1 before the second intermission.

During the third period, Seth Jarvis would set up a beautiful play for Aho to find the back of the net, making it a one-goal game again. Funnily enough, both Sebastian Ahos would later end up in the penalty box simultaneously.

The Canes pulled Raanta with 2:30 left in hopes of a last-minute goal to tie the game up. It didn’t work, and the Islanders held on to keep the series alive.

Stars shine bright and take a 3-2 series lead

The Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars series has been full of grit. And tonight, things got off to a rocky start in Dallas after Wild forward Marcus Foligno collided Dallas’ Radek Faksa knee-on-knee. Foligno was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the incident.

On the ensuing power play, Tyler Seguin found his team-leading fourth goal to make it 1-0 for the Stars quickly. Later on in the first Jason Robertson fired home a wrist shot to make it 2-0. Robertson then laid a monster hit at center ice on Connor Dewar, getting a loud cheer from the fans at the American Airlines Center.

In the second, Mason Marchment put home a quick rebound off a shot from Seguin to extend the lead. Stars forward Roope Hintz picked up assists on all three goals, with his 11 points being the most among anyone in the league. Late in the third period, with an empty net, Stars’ Ty Dellandrea scored his first career playoff goal, sealing the game. Jake Oettinger registered his second career postseason shutout. 

The Stars will have a chance to close out the series on Friday after taking a 3-2 lead.

The Oilers put the Kings on the brink of elimination

Well, the Edmonton Oilers definitely came to play against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Oilers have put the Kings in danger territory thanks to a big 6-3 win on Wednesday. It was Evander Kane who struck the scoreboard first, followed up two minutes later Leon Draisaitl’s sixth goal of the series. The Kings would get first-period goals from Alex Iafallo and Adrian Kempe, but Brett Kulak scored in between them to give the Oilers a 3-2 lead heading into the first intermission.

There was a scary moment in the second period when Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg lost an edge and slammed into the boards. He was slow to get up, but he thankfully remained in the game. The intensity remained throughout the second, and, eventually, Oilers forward Nick Bjugstad scored his first goal of the playoffs to make it 4-2.

Joonas Korpisalo was pulled after letting up four goals in favor of Pheonix Copley. It didn’t pay off, though as Zach Hyman’s second of the series at 15:47 in the middle stanza gave Edmonton a 5-2 advantage. Quinton Byfield would add another for the Kings in the third at 6:33, but Bjugstad’s second of the night two minutes later made it a null point.