After an unbelievable third period come back for a Game 1 win, the Dallas Stars were sitting pretty in the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers.
Or so they thought.
Now, for the second season in a row, the Oilers have rattled off three wins in a row against the Stars, this time to take a stranglehold 3-1 series lead.
The similarities between the two stretches are shocking. Last year, Dallas had a 2-1 series lead before the three game slide. The Stars depth scoring dried up. Stuart Skinner seemed unbeatable in the Oilers net. And Dallas could not stop Edmonton's power play.
This season, the scoring has been dry essentially throughout the Winnipeg series as well, but despite that Game 1 breakout, there are a lot of 20 goals scorers from the regular season in a world of hurt in the postseason goal scoring department. Skinner once again seems to have the advantage, limiting the damage to almost nothing through both of the dominant pushes Dallas has gotten the past two games. And the Oilers have scored a power play goal in each of the five games.
To make matters worse, the Stars have not scored first once in the four games.
All of this is a recipe for disaster if Dallas was to capitulate for a fourth time in a row and flame out of the Western Conference Final in only five games this season. Even when Vegas took a 3-0 series lead, Dallas managed to push it to six games.
The good news for the Stars is that the series is not over. The dream of making the Stanley Cup Final is still alive, albeit much more difficult. A win at home means that Dallas only has to find a way to win one road game in the series to send it to an all-in, deciding Game 7.
If the Stars come alive and make it to Monday, they would probably feel like they were the favorites even after everything that has happened in the past three games.
The signs are there that Dallas can outplay Edmonton, and the time is now to figure out how to translate that into wins.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Collision from Stars Player in Game 4 Ends Oilers Forward Playoff Run
If Broke Why Not Try It Again? Stars Need To Change Game Plan To Avoid Elimination
Stars Need Depth Offense to Step Up to Even Series
Stars Fall Flat For Second Straight Game. Oilers Take 2-1 Series Lead
- Follow Taylor on Twitter: @THN_taylor