The Edmonton Oilers dominated the first 40 minutes of Game 1 in the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. They held a 3-1 lead, looked confident, and were seemingly in complete control of the game. Considering how quickly the Oilers dispatched of the Vegas Golden Knights, they undoubtedly felt confident. They likely figured they had the game on cruise control, particularly since they’ve been the third-period darlings of the 2025 playoffs.
But in a shocking turn of events, the Oilers fell apart in the third period, surrendering five unanswered goals—including three on the penalty kill—and suffered a crushing 6-3 loss.
It wasn’t just a loss; it was a collapse. And it might be exactly what the Oilers needed.
Oilers Got “Humbled,” Says the Coach
“You always think you’ve figured it out, and then you get humbled in a hurry,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch postgame, admitting that his team lost their way when it was required to remain disciplined and avoid giving Dallas the momentum. If any team knows how vital emotional swings are, it’s the Oilers. They’d been pulling off miraculous comebacks in several games before this series began. At one point, the Oilers’ record of six consecutive come-from-behind victories was a first in franchise history.
So, if anyone should have known what’s possible, it was Edmonton.
To see them completely fall apart in a matter of six minutes, the Oilers now know how embarrassing things can get if they take their foot off the gas and get sloppy.
The Oilers’ penalty kill was dismantled by a Dallas power play, which now leads the playoffs at 34.9%. The Stars capitalized on undisciplined play that included needless infractions and mental mistakes. A silly cross-check from Corey Perry and a sloppy stick-lift from Evander Kane were among the issues. The Stars turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead and then poured it on with two more goals as Edmonton failed to respond.
Darnell Nurse, a key piece of the Oilers’ penalty kill, admitted, “We have to be better in that department, all of us, to a man. Whether it’s a won battle, a clear, a block—whatever play has to be made on the PK, we have to make it. And we didn’t.”
Is There A Silver Lining Following This Slap in the Face?
But while the collapse was alarming, there is reason for optimism — and a sense that this defeat may serve as a necessary jolt to a team that has sometimes required adversity to reach its full potential. For some reason, this Oilers team tends to need a wake-up call to realize what’s on the line.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Oilers’ 6-3 Loss in Game 1 to Stars
Former Oilers star and Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger summed it up nicely: “Gut-wrenching loss for #LetsGoOilers last night, but they have the template on how they need to play for 60 minutes + to beat the Stars. I am looking for them to clean up the discipline issues in Game 2 to go back to EDM with a split in the series.”
Pronger is right. The Oilers weren’t dominated for 60 minutes. They dominated—and then imploded. That means they know the blueprint for success.
Pete Blackburn of the What Chaos Show was sarcastic in labeling this Oilers team, but he’s not entirely wrong: “The Oilers absolutely love overcoming hurdles & adversity. If there are no hurdles & adversity, they absolutely love creating some themselves.” Now that the Oilers have created their villain of this story versus the Stars, can they become their own hero and overcome?
Game 1 was Edmonton creating their own adversity. Check. It was also about showing they could clearly hang with the Stars. Check. Game 2 will be about limiting the breakdowns and staying out of the box if they can’t find a way to improve their penalty kill.
The hope is that this wasn’t the kind of loss that signals gloom and doom. Instead, this might be the kind of scenario that brings the team together— a slap in the face that resets the group as a whole and tells everyone in that room that it’s time to do whatever it takes to be better in an area where they feel exposed.