The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers head north with the series tied, 1-1.
The pregame narrative: Dallas and Edmonton have been evenly matched through the first two games of the series. The Stars are a plus-money dog in Game 3 and my preferred pick. Captain Jamie Benn is leading by example and is a solid choice to register a point.
Check out these Stars vs. Oilers picks for Game 3 on May 27.
Stars vs. Oilers picks
Best Bet: Stars moneyline (+105)
It's difficult to glean any sort of discernible edge for either team through the first two games of this series.
Here's how they stack up ahead of Game 3:
| Team | xGF% | SCF% | HDCF% | SV% |
| Stars | 48.04 | 50.00 | 45.10 | 94.03 |
| Oilers | 51.96 | 50.00 | 54.90 | 91.38 |
Edmonton predictably holds a slight edge in offensive results while Dallas holds an expected advantage between the pipes.
Jake Oettinger has proven to be a more trustworthy netminder lately and is a big reason why Dallas is my pick.
He owns a stellar .922 save percentage this postseason and that number has risen substantially through the first two games of this series.
Oettinger boasts a .940 save percentage against Edmonton, holding the Oilers to four goals in two contests.
Skinner has been solid in the Western Conference final but his larger body of work suggests a slip-up can occur at any time. He has a .890 save percentage in the playoffs with several stinkers mixed in.
Winning on the road hasn't been a tall task for the Stars during the playoffs. They're an impressive 5-1 as visitors this postseason.
In a game — and series — where teams are this evenly matched, it's wise to back the squad catching plus-money odds.
Key stat: Dallas tied with Florida for the most road wins (26) of any team in the league this season.
Quick pick
Benn to score 1+ point (-104): If this blog is looking familiar, it's because these were my selections for Game 2.
Both cashed in that contest, so why not come back to it again?
Benn has been a driving force on a Dallas team full of high-end talent. His two points in Game 2 give him 11 this postseason, putting him fourth on the squad in the category.
He has points in both games of this series and three consecutive outings dating back to the Western Conference semifinals.
The Stars rely on their leader to produce at even strength and on the power play. He skates on a loaded third line that features Logan Stankoven and Wyatt Johnson while also playing on the top man-advantage unit.
Picks made at 2:53 p.m. on 05/26/2024.