The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars are both expected to make lineup changes ahead of Sunday’s pivotal sixth game of the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place.
For the Oilers, veteran centre Derek Ryan is expected to draw back into the lineup after sitting out of Game 5 as a healthy scratch. Ryan, 37, appears slated to replace Sam Carrick as the Oilers’ fourth-line centre on Sunday night.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch spoke about the impact Ryan can make in his media availability after his team’s optional skate on Sunday morning.
“I know Derek Ryan didn’t play last game, but he took warm-up, and I know he said some things to the team before the game started,” Knoblauch said. “And not only him, but everybody. I think everyone just knows what’s at stake right now.”
Playing in his third season with the Oilers, Ryan collected five goals and 12 points in 70 games during the 2023-24 regular season. The Spokane, Washington product has added one assist in 13 games with the Oilers in these playoffs.
Conversely, defenceman Vincent Desharnais does not appear likely to return to the lineup after being removed in favour of Philip Broberg for Game 5. Broberg scored a big goal to help the Oilers to a 3-1 victory on Friday.
Knoblauch also added that forward Corey Perry is likely good to go for Game 6 after being on the receiving end of a hard hit by Stars forward Joe Pavelski in Game 5. Perry appeared to injure his shoulder on the play but remains pencilled in on Leon Draisaitl’s wing.
On the Dallas side, Mavrik Bourque appears primed to make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut with the Stars on the brink of elimination. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported the news of Bourque’s insertion into the lineup on Sunday morning.
Bourque, a 2020 first-round pick of the Stars, collected 26 goals and 77 points in 71 AHL games with the Texas Stars in the 2023-24 season. Stars head coach Peter DeBoer spoke about the 22-year-old rookie on Sunday.
“He’s taken all the right steps,” DeBoer said. “We got him late in the season and I think offense has been hard to come by in this series. And when you look at our grouping of guys, he’s the one guy who probably has the most offensive potential, the options that we’re looking at.”
Game 6 between the Stars and Oilers at Rogers Place is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. MT on Sunday.
