Kris Knoblauch needed someone 91裸聊视频� anyone 91裸聊视频� to step up.

The Oilers were taking on water after a flying start to Game 3 of the NHL91裸聊视频檚 Western Conference final.

Connor McDavid had been shot out of a cannon, setting up Edmonton91裸聊视频檚 first goal and scoring another in Monday91裸聊视频檚 quick-strike opening 20 minutes that saw the home side lead 2-0 and hold the Dallas Stars to just three shots.

The momentum, however, was resoundingly flipped after the intermission. And the Oilers didn91裸聊视频檛 respond nearly quick enough.

Every line Knoblauch, the team91裸聊视频檚 rookie head coach, sent over the boards in that disastrous 10-minute stretch to open the second was on its heels as the Stars poured into the offensive zone in white-and-green waves.

McDavid91裸聊视频檚 trio couldn91裸聊视频檛 get traction. Leon Draisaitl91裸聊视频檚 and his wingers didn91裸聊视频檛 have any luck either. It was more of the same from the third and fourth units.

Before they knew it, the Oilers were down 3-2.

Edmonton would eventually get back on stable ground, tying the score 3-3, before Dallas winger Jason Robertson completed his hat trick midway through the third period in a 5-3 victory that pushed the Stars ahead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

91裸聊视频淲e got away from our game,91裸聊视频� Knoblauch said Tuesday. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 want to take anything away from Dallas. They played a much better period in the second period than they did in the first. But I look back at what we were doing.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 some things that we weren91裸聊视频檛 doing the second period that we were in the first.91裸聊视频�

That included failing to make simple plays at the Oilers91裸聊视频� blue line and missed assignments in the defensive zone 91裸聊视频� a lack of attention to detail that has popped up at different points this spring. Edmonton blew a 4-1 lead in Game 1 against the Vancouver Canucks in the second round before nearly doing the same with a 3-0 advantage in Game 7.

And then there was Monday91裸聊视频檚 dramatic shift.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just small, little details,91裸聊视频� continued Knoblauch, whose team hosts Game 4 on Wednesday. 91裸聊视频淔or us to be successful, those small details are non-negotiable. If we91裸聊视频檙e going to have success, we need everyone doing them every single time.91裸聊视频�

The Oilers haven91裸聊视频檛 scored a goal in the third period in this series and are 0-4 in the playoffs when tied through 40 minutes, including 0-2 against Dallas after winning Game 1 in double overtime.

91裸聊视频淲e haven91裸聊视频檛 done a good enough job of being stubborn with it and closing out games,91裸聊视频� Draisaitl said. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 a big part of our team.91裸聊视频�

On the other side, second-year centre Wyatt Johnson said the veteran presence in a Dallas locker room that also qualified for last season91裸聊视频檚 conference final makes a huge difference in moments like the aftermath of Monday91裸聊视频檚 first period.

91裸聊视频淲e have the patience, the confidence,91裸聊视频� said the 21-year-old, who scored his team91裸聊视频檚 third goal in Game 3. 91裸聊视频淚f we don91裸聊视频檛 have a great period, we take that intermission and regain our thoughts and settle down a bit.91裸聊视频�

Edmonton, meanwhile, didn91裸聊视频檛 respond quickly enough facing a similar situation Monday in a series that has seen some wild swings.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e a really good team,91裸聊视频� said Oilers winger Zach Hyman, who scored Monday91裸聊视频檚 opener and tops the post-season with 13 goals. 91裸聊视频淭here are times in the game we absolutely dominate and there are times in the game where they91裸聊视频檙e dominating.91裸聊视频�

Edmonton also trailed Vancouver 2-1 heading into Game 4 at home and won91裸聊视频檛 be deviating from its process.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 nothing to be upset about, there91裸聊视频檚 nothing to sulk about,91裸聊视频� Hyman said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been in this position before. We have a great opportunity 91裸聊视频� Game 4 at home to send it to a best-of-three.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 the mindset that we should have.91裸聊视频�

But if things once again go of script, the Oilers will need a much better response 91裸聊视频� or face an uphill climb down 3-1 when they board the plane back to Texas.

DIFFERENT APPROACH

The Stars aren91裸聊视频檛 nearly as physical as the Los Angeles Kings 91裸聊视频� Edmonton91裸聊视频檚 first-round opponent 91裸聊视频� or the Canucks. Scrums after the whistle and general animosity just haven91裸聊视频檛 been there against Dallas.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檝e almost tried to lull things to sleep,91裸聊视频� Oilers winger Evander Kane said. 91裸聊视频淎 tactic on their end. We can be more physical as a group.91裸聊视频�

STRUGGLING NURSE

Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse was on the ice for the third and fourth Dallas goals in Game 3, dropping him to minus-12 91裸聊视频� the worst of any player in the 2024 post-season.

Knoblauch pushed back on that ugly number, but added the blueliner with two playoff assists and a US$9.25-million salary cap hit has more to give.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just playing on instincts,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 know (a defenceman) in NHL that is able to get around the ice as quick as he can and close plays off. He91裸聊视频檚 so efficient at that 91裸聊视频� something he91裸聊视频檚 got to be doing every shift.

91裸聊视频淵ou look at the stats and I think it91裸聊视频檚 unfair to say that91裸聊视频檚 his game, but Darnell can play better.91裸聊视频�

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