The Edmonton Oilers look to take advantage of home ice when they host the Dallas Stars for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final as the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs continue Sunday. Edmonton, which has won four of its first five games at Rogers Place this postseason, evened the series at one win apiece with a 3-0 victory on Friday in Game 2 at Dallas.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored one goal and set up another while Stuart Skinner turned aside all 25 shots he faced for his third shutout in four outings. Superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each recorded an assist to pull even with Mikko Rantanen of the Stars for the playoff lead with 20 points apiece.
Dallas has failed to score in each of its three losses since defeating the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of their first-round series. The Stars, who had their seven-game home winning streak snapped with Friday’s setback, are 2-4 on the road this postseason but have won five consecutive Game 3s, including the third contest of last year’s Western Conference Final at Edmonton.
The Stars could be without Roope Hintz, who is tied for second on the team with 11 points this postseason. The 28-year-old Finnish center exited Game 2 after being slashed in the lower leg by Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse early in the third period and did not return.
Here are some players with value to consider when making NHL player props for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday.
Leon Draisaitl, Oilers: Anytime goal scorer (+130, bet365)
Draisaitl is tied for fifth in the NHL with six goals this postseason, but only one of them has come at home. The 29-year-old German has tallied just once in his last five overall games. These facts have me thinking he’s due to hit the back of the net on Sunday, and he might even do so more than once.
Thomas Harley, Stars: 1+ point (+105, DraftKings)
Harley is second in the league among defensemen with 11 points in these playoffs after registering a total of 13 in the first 39 games of his postseason career. The 23-year-old also is tied for the most power-play points (six) by a blue-liner. He has yet to land on the scoresheet in this series, marking the first time in the 2025 playoffs that he’s gone back-to-back contests without a point. I can’t imagine the Stars getting shut out a second straight time, and I like Harley to be involved in their scoring.
Miro Heiskanen, Stars: 1+ point (+110, DraftKings)
Heiskanen has appeared in only five games this postseason due to the knee injury he suffered on Jan. 28. The only contests in which he has not recorded a point were Dallas’ two shutout losses. Dating back to last year’s Western Conference Final, the 25-year-old Finnish defenseman has been on the scoresheet in six of his last 10 playoff games. Heiskanen recorded a goal and an assist in the series opener and, like Harley, I believe he’ll contribute offensively as I don’t see the Stars getting blanked again.
Connor McDavid, Oilers: 2+ points (-113, FanDuel)
McDavid is tied for first in the NHL with six multi-point performances this postseason and leads the league with five multi-assist efforts. The 28-year-old center has notched at least two points in five of his eight career playoff games against the Stars and 14 of his last 28 overall postseason contests. With the Oilers looking to grab the upper hand in the series on home ice, don’t be surprised if the best player on the planet accomplishes the feat in Game 3.
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