PREVIEW: Oilers at Stars (Game 5)

Following Viktor Arvidsson’s return in Recreation 4 instead of Connor Brown, it will seemingly be Jeff Skinner’s flip to come back again into the lineup on Thursday because the ahead to interchange Zach Hyman after showing solely as soon as on this postseason in Recreation 1 of the First Spherical in opposition to the Kings.

Like each roster tweak made earlier than him, Arvidsson’s addition represented one other impactful change on the proper time for the Oilers, becoming a member of an inventory this postseason that features Calvin Pickard (six wins), Stuart Skinner (five-of-seven victories and two shutouts), Troy Stecher (impactful defence) and Kasperi Kapanen (series-clinching aim within the Second Spherical).

The Swedish ahead is seeking to construct on his efficiency in opposition to Dallas in Recreation 4 in hopes of being the answer to Edmonton’s drawback on the fitting facet at ahead within the absence of Hyman.

“I think he did really well,” Knoblauch stated. “He hadn’t performed for a few weeks, and to come back into an surroundings like that in opposition to a superb crew at this level of the season, he simply continued to get higher. Within the third interval, he might need been considered one of our greatest forwards. He had high quality photographs, received loads of puck races, and made some good performs, so Viktor’s sport was what I anticipated.

“He played the way we want him to play, and we’ll need more of that from Viktor, because with missing guys, especially on the right side with Hyman, that’s an opportunity for him to step up and play a more significant role.”

Knoblauch additionally confirmed that Brown will miss a second straight sport, however he hopes that his return will come rapidly after he joined the crew on the highway to Dallas regardless of his damage from a success delivered by Alex Petrovic in Recreation 3 of the collection. Mattias Ekholm is shut to creating his 2025 playoff debut and will slot again in as a part of an 11-and-seven mixture for Hyman or in a conventional 12-and-six deployment as a direct swap on the blueline for Stecher.

Having turned resilience into resounding wins on this postseason, the Oilers aren’t nervous about something past Recreation 5 of the Western Last on Thursday, regardless of being one win away from a rematch within the Stanley Cup Last in opposition to the Florida Panthers after they eradicated the Carolina Hurricanes in 5 video games.

“We have a good record when we’ve been in those situations,” Knoblauch stated. “I am assured with our guys being mature. They’re skilled. They do not get too excessive or too low. It is not that they’d ever assume that we have this below wraps. That’s positively by no means the case with this crew.

“They know how hard it is to win that last deciding game, and they also have a lot of respect for the Dallas Stars, knowing that they’re a good team who can certainly turn it up. They turned around a series in the first round against Colorado.”