After a dominant 6-3 triumph in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, it looked as if the Dallas Stars were in charge of their own destiny. With a win in Game 2 over the Edmonton Oilers, the Stars would leave home up 2-0 in their Stanley Cup Playoffs series.

However, that was not meant to be. The Oilers captured Game 2 with a 3-0 victory as Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner saved 25 shots in the shutout. Dallas coach Pete DeBoer was brutally honest in his assessment of the loss to the media postgame.

“I liked our game better tonight than I did Game 1, and we won Game 1,” DeBoer said to NHL.com. “I thought we give up that power-play goal. First goal is important in this series. We take a penalty, and they score on the first power play, so we’re playing from behind. Then it’s a pretty even game for a big chunk of the game.

Their second goal, we block a shot, and it bounces right on their stick, and they stick it into the net. The third goal is a tip at the front of the net.

“We had some looks too where [Skinner] made some saves. Sure, when you get shut out, you can do a better job in front of their goalie. But I don’t think the score was as dramatically reflective of the game as [perceived], but that’s just my opinion.”

The fact that DeBoer preferred his team's performance on Friday night even though they lost shows how he feels as they head up to Edmonton. The Stars are the higher seed, and many in the professional hockey field expect them to advance. Will they fulfill their roles as the favorites and clinch another Stanley Cup Final appearance?

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Stars head into pivotal Game 3 against Oilers

Edmonton Oilers center Mattias Janmark (13) shoots the puck on Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) in the third period for game two of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 22 shots on the night, and the circumstances of each goal were questioned by DeBoer. Oettinger kept his team in the matchup, especially when the offense failed to break through against his Oilers counterpart. As the series shifts to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4, will Dallas once again find their Game 1 form?

If the offense locates their footing once again, then this series will be much more competitive. DeBoer knows his team is close. Oettinger has the ability to take this series over, as he has shown that he can be one of the NHL's top goalies at his best. Will his best show up north of the border? If so, then the Western Conference Final will be the Stars' series to take.