GAME RECAP: Oilers 4, Dallas 3

The Oilers would’ve been ruing their missed opportunities – albeit few – after returning to the dressing room for the first intermission with a slim 7-6 shot advantage and tied 0-0 with the Stars through 20 minutes.

Leon Draisaitl had the puck on his stick on an early three-on-one with linemates  McDavid and Perry, with the latter taking his first few shifts on the top line since being lifted into the spot at Friday’s practice in St. Louis, but after the German made a good pass through the legs of a Dallas defenceman, the puck missed the stick of the captain and sailed into the corner.

Edmonton’s defencemen did a great job keeping the puck in at the blueline to extend an offensive-zone shift for the top line in the period’s final 10 minutes, leading to McDavid receiving the pass at the top of the left circle with Perry playing his expected part by heading towards the front of the net.

McDavid found Perry with space, giving the 38-year-old a clean look on Jake Oettinger, but the Dallas netminder squeezed the shot under his right arm to halt the terrific Oilers opportunity with 7:46 left in the first period.

Undoubtedly the best opportunity for the Oilers in the opening 20 minutes came off the stick of McDavid, who looked to have a sure-fire goal when he rounded Oettinger and had an open net to shoot at, but the captain’s glorious chance struck the outside post to provide Dallas with a major let-off before the intermission.

Dallas’ best offensive stretch of the period came after McDavid’s miss, generating a few great chances and earning a power play with 37 seconds remaining that would carry over into the second period.