The Edmonton Oilers did their job by going into Dallas and securing a split in the first two games against the Stars, but now it was time to see how they would perform in Game 3 back at Rogers Place. And while I’d argue this was actually the Stars’ best game of the series so far, it was the Oilers who took full advantage of their opportunities en route to a 6-1 win.

A lot of talk throughout the playoffs was about the Oilers’ depth helping them win hockey games, but that doesn’t mean there won’t still be times when our best player gets the job done himself. When Connor McDavid is at the top of his game, which he was in Game 3 at Rogers Place, it’s nearly impossible to stop the guy, and the Stars struggled mightily to try and do so. Yes, he had two goals, including the game-winner, but he was flying all over the ice even when he wasn’t scoring, and it’s almost a fluke he couldn’t generate more. From opening faceoff to the final buzzer, our captain was fantastic.

In total, McDavid led the forward group in total minutes with the 21:25 he logged, and it’s no surprise Knoblauch wanted to use him more based on how well he was skating. If there was a problem with McDavid’s game, it had to be that the two goals he scored reminded us all of how filthy he can be when he shoots the puck. McDavid is so much better than everyone else on the ice that nitpicking his game is always kind of nuts, but it’s because of that skill that I wish he would use his entire toolbox a little more. The wheels, the hands, and the vision are always on display, but if he could mix in a few more of those fastballs from time to time, then this team could become truly unstoppable.

With the three assists he picked up in Game 3, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has now registered three consecutive multi-point playoff games for the first time in his 14-year career. I don’t know what it is about playing the Stars that gets RNH’s blood pumping, but he’s turned in seven points through the first three games of this series and has looked incredible. That’s what made it suck so bad to see him crash into the boards violently in the second period. While Nuge did come back and play, he did miss a few shifts and took a trip down the tunnel to speak with TD Forss.

The good news is that Nugent-Hopkins was able to return and looked pretty damned good through the third period, but I worry about what will happen when the adrenaline calms down and the equipment comes off. Maybe it’s because Calvin Pickard was also able to come back after getting banged up and hasn’t been seen since, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed even though Nuge said he’s fine in his post-game availability. He’s been such a big part of this series so far that we need Nuge feeling good, and I’m hopeful he’ll be able to navigate the next 48 hours as the soreness surely sets in. Either way, the guy is playing his best hockey of the season at the perfect time, and I hope he never walks away from the table on this heater. Fantastic first three games by RNH.

If Stuart Skinner wants to keep standing on his head, then I’m going to keep pumping his tires in my post-game articles. It’s only fair to give the guy his flowers after a performance like we got on Sunday if we’re also going to call him out on his bad nights. Not only did Skinner lock down another win, but he was an international flight better than his counterpart at the other end. Skinner was quiet and composed in his crease, and there were few instances anyone could point to him being out of position. The result was that Stu stopped all of the shots we expected him to stop, and a bunch of them could have easily ended up in the back of the net.

While some fans want to focus on the ebbs and flows of the Stuart Skinner roller-coaster, I’m hoping he can catch fire for another month or so. Remember, Skinner had been one of the best goalies in the league for many stretches over the last handful of seasons, and the problem from my side of the TV screen was always that the lulls were so low compared to the highs. We’ve gotten the best of Stuart Skinner since he reclaimed his starting gig in Game 4 against the Golden Knights, and it’s been a ton of fun watching him SIUTBOHC — Brownlee would have loved it. Now the trick will be to see if he can keep the ball rolling.

1. Shoot high blocker on Jake Oettinger as often as humanly possible. Shoot from the parking lot.

2. The second period in Game 3 was arguably the worst the Oilers have played so far, and I fully understand that they gave up a win in the third period of Game 1. It’s almost amazing that Dallas outshot Edmonton 21-7 in the frame, but the goals ended up at one apiece. A big part of weathering that storm was Stuart Skinner being brilliant, and had it not been for him, the Oilers could have easily been going into the third down by two goals instead of up by two.

3. I’m jacked for Zach Hyman to get two goals. The guy has been throwing his body around like a battering ram all playoffs, but the goals haven’t been coming for him as often as they have in the past. That changed on Sunday when Hyman was able to cash in a pair of clutch chances for two third period goals that essentially nailed Dallas’ coffin shut. Want a crazy stat line? How about Hyman having two goals, an assist, four shots, one block, 10 hits, and a +5 rating in 17:51 of TOI? The Stars need to watch out if Hyman can find a way to get hot.

4. JOHN KLINGBERG REVENGE GOAL!

5. Evan Bouchard was so damned good again on Sunday, and that’s even without the goal he scored and assist he added a few moments later. Even though he only played 19:59 in Game 3, he was easily the Oilers’ best defenceman again, and the Stars struggled mightily to get anything done when he was on the ice.

6. I love Jake Walman. That is all. The guy is just so quietly steady, giving us all the confidence in the world when he’s on the ice. Not to mention, the guy must be channelling the spirit of Kris Russell or something with the way he’s always willing to block shots.

7. Connor Brown took a high hit by Alex Petrovic that sent him crashing into the boards, forcing No. 28 to leave the game and not return. Based on how hard Brown hit the boards, it’s hard not to imagine it’s a concussion. This would be a huge loss if Brown misses time and has to come out of the lineup.

8. Another game, another few words to gush about Troy Stecher. Stecher has played so well since getting swapped in for Ty Emberson, and I couldn’t be happier for him to have this kind of success after bopping around on one-year deals for the bulk of his NHL career.

9. Shout to the refs for missing the Brett Kulak over the glass call. That miss was huge from an Oilers perspective, and I thank them for the generosity. That said, I do not appreciate the makeup call when Kasperi Kapanen was penalized for Mikko Rantanen high-sticking his own face.

10. Unfortunately, I must report that the Oilers won only 47.6% of the faceoffs.

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