The Edmonton Oilers are two wins away from a Stanley Cup Final and they’re doing it with a style of play most analysts aren’t talking about. In today’s episode of Locked On Oilers, host Nick Zararis breaks down the team’s shift toward counterattacking hockey, explaining how this strategy has allowed Edmonton to thrive against puck-dominant teams like the Dallas Stars.

You’ll learn why the Oilers no longer need to control the puck to control the game, how players like Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are contributing in unexpected ways, and how to evaluate stats like expected goals and scoring chances without falling into common internet traps.

0:00 Intro: Counter-attacking hockey's impact on Oilers

4:07 Stars' offensive strategy and Oilers' defense

8:13 Oilers' adaptability in different playoff series

12:46 Understanding and using underlying hockey statistics

17:52 Benefits of creating offense off the rush

21:58 Oilers' defensive improvements in playoffs

25:32 Injury updates and lineup adaptability

Why the Edmonton Oilers' Counterattack Strategy is Dominating the Playoffs
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The Oilers took control of the Western Conference Final with a 2–1 series lead after Game 3. Nick Zararis breaks down a dominant performance powered by Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and a rejuvenated Stuart Skinner. Plus: how the defense, forward depth, and belief are converging at just the right time.
The Oilers took control of the Western Conference Final with a 2–1 series lead after Game 3. Nick Zararis breaks down a dominant performance powered by Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and a rejuvenated Stuart Skinner. Plus: how the defense, forward depth, and belief are converging at just the right time.

🎯 Topics:

Tactical adjustments that shut down Dallas

Why Skinner’s Game 3 was his best of the playoffs

The psychological edge McDavid is finally showing

This might be the best Oilers team of the McDavid era

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The Edmonton Oilers let game one against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals slip away, but it wasn't a disaster. If anything, the Oilers and coach Kris Knoblauch have a strong idea how to build and finish the job as the series goes along. As host Nick Zararis breaks down in this episode, the Oilers were able to create a variety of dangerous scoring chances, their power play is leaving meat on the bone and the defense needs to tighten up.

0:00 Intro: Analyzing Oilers' Game 1 loss

3:47 Breaking down Draisaitl's creative goal

12:28 Oilers' power play struggles and solutions

20:35 Thank you to the listeners

22:38 Oilers' defensive strategy and improvements needed

26:40 Penalty kill issues and lineup considerations

29:45 Outro: Looking ahead to Game 2

Edmonton Oilers Game 1 Tactics Breakdown | Power Play Fixes, Defensive Details & Series Adjustments
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Welcome to the NHL Squad Show! Today our hosts Gil Martin (Locked On Islanders), Eddie Garcia (Locked On Kings), Haley Taylor Simon (Locked On Blues), Ann Kimmel (Locked On Preds) and Seth Toupal (Locked On Wild) are here to check in on the start of the conference finals, talk through each team’s changes, make some predictions on the Stanley Cup Final, dissect the latest playoff disappointment from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and check in on the teams that still need a coach.

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The Edmonton Oilers had a 3–1 lead on the road in Game 1 of the Western Final against the Dallas Stars and let it slip away down the stretch of the third period. Consecutive high-sticking penalties to Oilers forwards Evander Kane and Corey Perry opened the door for Dallas to get back in the game. The Stars ultimately scored five unanswered goals, sending the Oilers reeling into game number two. Host Nick Zararis explains why the Oilers played so well for the first 40 minutes of the game, until they didn't, what the Stars changed in the third period and what the major takeaways for the Oilers are going forward.

0:00 Intro: Oilers lose Game 1 to Stars

5:07 Quality vs quantity of offense debate

10:11 What Oilers did well despite loss

15:48 Oilers showed ability to control play

21:24 Two possible outcomes for Game 2

26:30 Creating advantages in high-stakes games

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Edmonton Oilers Collapse in Game 1: Missed Details, Special Teams Failures | Why all hope is not lost

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The Edmonton Oilers face the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. In this episode, Nick Zararis breaks down the philosophical matchup between high-end talent and depth, why Edmonton’s flexibility gives them an edge, and what Connor McDavid’s legacy moment could look like. In this episode, Nick explains why the early stages of the series will be a feeling out process, why the Oilers and Stars have flipped play styles since last year's meeting and why Edmonton needs to recognize the gravity of the moment.

0:00 Intro: Oilers face challenge against Dallas Stars

5:14 Stars' strategy and reliance on special teams

10:48 Dallas Stars' team-building approach analyzed

16:54 Oilers' power play struggles and adjustments needed

22:00 Opportunity and belief in Oilers' playoff run

27:08 Oilers' versatility and path to victory

Edmonton Oilers vs Dallas Stars Game 1: Why Edmonton’s Ceiling Will Win the West
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The Edmonton Oilers are just four wins against the Dallas Stars away from returning to the Stanley Cup final and getting a chance to correct a wrong. With Connor McDavid in the prime of his athletic life, host Nick Zararis explains why the Oilers' star forward is the central force of the team's playoff run, why Edmonton needs him to elevate on the power play, how much Stuart Skinner needs to add to the equation, and why the Oilers and Stars have swapped style profiles since last year.

0:00 Intro: Oilers' path to Stanley Cup Final

5:43 Oilers' improved 5-on-5 play this postseason

11:21 Special teams crucial for Oilers' success

15:59 Stars' defensive strategy and counterattack

20:06 Connor McDavid's lifelong quest for the Cup

24:45 The grueling journey of an NHL season

29:19 Outro: Oilers capable of winning the series

How the Edmonton Oilers Win the West: Connor McDavid’s Moment, 5v5 Dominance and situational defense
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The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars face off in the 2025 Western Conference Final with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line for the second straight year. Whether it's the Edmonton Oilers stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl or the Dallas Stars' stars like Mikko Rantanen or Thomas Harley, there is star power abound. Hosts Nick Zararis and Joey Erickson walk through the key series storylines like the Oilers 5-on-5 play, the Stars' rising alongside Rantanen and the return of Miro Heiskanen. Nick and Joey also discuss series X-factors like Evgenii Dadonov and Zach Hyman, dissect key matchups like Heiskanen against McDavid and pick the series.
0:00 Intro: Western Conference Finals rematch preview

5:13 Stars' evolution and special teams improvement

8:46 Oilers' lineup changes and offensive strategies

15:14 Key players for Stars in the series

21:22 X-factors and matchups to watch

26:21 Goaltending unpredictability and series predictions

Edmonton Oilers vs Dallas Stars: Western Final Preview + Bold Predictions | Who wins and why

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