2025 NHL playoffs: Preview for Stars-Jets Game 4

There’s a change of pace on Tuesday in the Stanley Cup playoffs, as it’s just one game instead of two.

The Dallas Stars host the Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Game 4 of their series to decide the Central Division representative in the Western Conference finals, with the Stars currently leading 2-1.

Read on for a game preview with statistical insights from ESPN Research, a recap of what went down in Monday’s games and the Three Stars of Monday from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars
Game 4 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN

The Stars are favored to win the series, at -340 according to ESPN BET, with the Jets at +270 to rally for a series victory. Dallas is also the current overall favorite to win the Cup, at +325, while the Jets are +1500.

Kyle Connor has 13 points through 10 games for Winnipeg, which is the fifth most in a single postseason all-time in Thrashers/Jets 2.0 franchise history, trailing a quartet from 2018: Blake Wheeler (21), Mark Scheifele (20), Dustin Byfuglien (16), Paul Stastny (15).

Connor Hellebuyck’s wild postseason home/road disparities continue: he’s 5-1 at home this postseason, with a 1.99 goals-against average and .902 save percentage; he’s 0-4 on the road, with a 6.63 GAA and .772 SV%.

Mikko Rantanen continues to dominate. He’s the first player in NHL history with five three-point games in his first 10 games of a single postseason, and his career playoff PPG is now 1.31, which is sixth in Stanley Cup playoffs history; only Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), Connor McDavid (1.60), Leon Draisaitl (1.48) and former teammate Nathan MacKinnon (1.32) are higher.

Jake Oettinger’s next victory will break a tie with Tim Thomas and Ben Bishop for sixth place all-time in playoff wins among American-born goaltenders.

Öcal’s Three Stars from Monday

Skinner made 23 saves for his second career postseason shutout. He becomes the sixth Oilers goalie with multiple clean sheets in the playoffs, joining Grant Fuhr, Curtis Joseph, Bill Ranford, Cam Talbot, and Mike Smith.

Stuart Skinner keeps Vegas scoreless with a save

Stuart Skinner makes an early save to keep the Oilers ahead vs. the Golden Knights.

The veteran had the second multi-goal playoff game of his career, and it was also the second straight game an Oilers player had a two-goal first period (following Corey Perry in Game 3).

Walker had two points, including his first career playoff goal in his 22nd postseason game. His goal at 16:45 of the third period clinched the over for total goals in the game for the first time in the Canes-Capitals series (per ESPN BET).

Monday’s recaps

Carolina Hurricanes 5, Washington Capitals 2
CAR leads 3-1 | Game 5 Thursday

Game 4 wasn’t a shutout like Saturday’s Game 3, but the Hurricanes looked just as dominant, and are now one win away from a return to the Eastern Conference finals. Shayne Gostisbehere scored his third of the postseason midway through the first, and Seth Jarvis added playoff goal No. 3 just over a minute into the second. That lead would hold until 5:18 of the third, when the Capitals got on the board for the first time since Game 2 (via Jakob Chychrun). Taylor Hall responded for the Canes at 8:24, followed by Alex Ovechkin notching a power-play tally at 12:14 to make it 3-2 Canes. That’s as close as the Capitals would get, as Sean Walker and Andrei Svechnikov added goals in the final five minutes to close this one out. The Canes bring a 3-1 advantage to D.C. for Game 5. Full recap.

Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes: Game Highlights

Edmonton Oilers 3, Vegas Golden Knights 0
EDM leads 3-1 | Game 5 Wednesday

Adam Henrique is responsible for one of the most famous playoff goals in New Jersey Devils history (defeating the New York Rangers in the 2012 Eastern Conference finals). His performance on Monday wasn’t at that level, but his two goals did get the Oilers one game away from another trip to the Western Conference finals. Henrique got the home fans rocking at 1:27 of the first period, then notched another at 13:03 of the opening frame. He was joined on the scoresheet by Evander Kane, who slotted in a goal at 7:38 of the second. That was more than enough for Stuart Skinner, who stopped all 23 shots on goal the Golden Knights could muster, pushing Vegas one loss away from elimination. Full recap.