Kris Knoblauch was worried about how the game might turn out. As the Edmonton coach watched his team’s slow start against Dallas in Game 4 of the NHL’s Western Conference final at Rogers Place, he was concerned.
Down 2-1 in the series, the Oilers found themselves trailing 2-0, without even a shot on goal midway through the first period on Wednesday. “It didn’t look very good,” Knoblauch admitted.
But despite the tough situation, Edmonton was not ready to give up. They had experienced momentum swings in the series before, like blowing a 2-0 lead in Game 3. Slowly, the Oilers started to push back.
They tied the game before the first period ended and didn’t crack under the pressure from the Stars. Now, with the series tied, both teams are fighting for a spot in the Stanley Cup final in a best-of-three showdown.
Mattias Janmark and Leon Draisaitl scored within a minute in the second period, helping the Oilers secure a 5-2 victory. Draisaitl described the team’s start as “a little sleepy,” but they managed to find their rhythm and play their game.
Janmark’s goal on a short-handed 2-on-1 break, followed by Draisaitl’s 10th of the postseason, turned the tide for Edmonton. The series now moves to Game 5 in Dallas on Friday night.
Despite Dallas taking an early 2-0 lead, Edmonton fought back with goals from Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard in the first period. Stuart Skinner made crucial saves for the Oilers, while Wyatt Johnson and Esa Lindell scored for Dallas early in the game.
