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What’s Going On In The Playoffs: Stars and Hurricanes are down 3-1 in their series
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Photo credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
May 28, 2025, 18:00 EDTUpdated: May 28, 2025, 17:57 EDT
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Both Conference Final series are on the brink of being over.
This is What’s Going On In The Playoffs, where we look at how each series is going so far this post-season. Since last Wednesday’s article, both series are on the brink of finishing, as both the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers have a 3-1 series lead.
Let’s take a look at what’s happened in the post-season since last Wednesday.

Oilers drop Game 1, win the next three

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was last Wednesday, contested against the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars for the second consecutive season. The Oilers opened the scoring, as Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring, only for Tyler Seguin to answer on a breakaway for the Stars. The second period was all the Oilers, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard scored less than two minutes apart to give the Oilers a 3-1 lead heading into the third.
Before the end of the second, Corey Perry took a penalty, and it took just 32 seconds for the Stars to cut the lead to one thanks to Miro Heiskanen’s first of the post-season. The Oilers took another penalty, and the Stars tied it up thanks to Mikael Granlund’s fifth of the post-season. Another penalty, another Stars goal to take the lead, before Seguin scored his second of the game with four minutes left. Esa Lindell iced the game with an empty-netter.
The Oilers came back with a vengeance in Game 2, winning 3-0 off the back of Nugent-Hopkins, Brett Kulak, and Connor Brown’s goals. This was Stuart Skinner’s third shutout in four games.
Game 3 shifted to Edmonton, a game that the Oilers won 6-1. Bouchard opened the scoring, followed by Connor McDavid’s fourth of the post-season. With four and a half minutes left in the second period, a period the Stars dominated, Jason Robertson deflected the puck in for his first of the post-season to cut the Oilers’ lead in half. With just 19 seconds left, McDavid scored his second of the game, with the Oilers dominating the third period thanks to two Zach Hyman goals and a goal from former Star John Klingberg.
Like Games 2 and 3, Game 4 was another Oiler victory. Draisaitl opened the scoring midway through the first, but Robertson scored seven minutes into the second. Corey Perry answered less than three minutes later, which turned out to be the game-winner. Kasperi Kapnen and Adam Henrique both scored in the empty net for the 4-1 victory.
In Game 4, Zach Hyman took a hit, and the following day, it was announced he’s set to miss the rest of the post-season due to surgery. In Game 3, Connor Brown took a high hit and missed the rest of the game, as well as Game 4.
The Oilers have three chances to close out the series, with Game 5 on Thursday at 6:00 PM MT. Hopefully, the Stars can find a way to win that game, which means Game 6 is on Saturday at the same time. If needed, Game 7 is on Monday at 6:00 PM MT.

Panthers went up 3-0, lost Game 4

For the second time in three years, the Florida Panthers take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 1 saw the Panthers win in dominant fashion, which was the same case for Games 2 and 3.
Game 2 saw the Panthers win 5-0, with former Flame Sam Bennett scoring twice and Matthew Tkachuk once. Gustav Forsling’s goal just 1:17 into the game turned out to be the winner, as the Hurricanes had nothing to offer. 
In Game 3, Niko Mikkola opened the scoring 12 minutes into the game, with Logan Stankoven tying it with just over five minutes left in the second period. It must’ve been a close game, right? Nope, as the Panthers scored five times in the third period compared to one measly Hurricanes’ goal midway through the third when it was 6-1.
The Hurricanes picked up their first win in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2006, snapping a 15-game losing streak. Stankoven opened the scoring midway through the second, as Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal iced the game with empty-net goals for the 3-0 victory.
There have only been four reverse sweeps in National Hockey League history, most recently in 2014. That said, the Panthers blew a 3-0 series lead last post-season in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Oilers, only to win Game 7 and the Stanley Cup. Can the Hurricanes pull an Oilers, but better?
Game 5 is on Wednesday at 6:00 PM MT. If needed, Game 6 is on Friday at the same time, and Game 7 will be on Sunday, also at 6:00 PM MT.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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