Things got ugly in Game 2 between the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers, and not just on the scoreboard.
In the Stars’ 3-0 shutout loss to the Oilers on Friday, Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse added both insult and injury with a fairly blatant slashing penalty against Stars’ forward Roope Hintz.
Related:Stars upset by lack of major penalty call after Roope Hintz injury, leaving major concerns
Roope Hintz had to be helped off the ice after taking this slash from Oilers’ defenseman Darnell Nurse. 😳
Nurse was originally given a 5-minute major, but it was changed to a minor after official review.
(Via @Sportsnet | #TexasHockey)pic.twitter.com/KseWRFPMVF
— SportsDay Stars (@dmn_stars) May 24, 2025
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Hintz went down immediately with what appeared to be a leg injury and had to be helped off the ice. He disappeared down the Stars’ tunnel and his status for the remainder of Game 2 is unknown.
Nurse was initially given a 5-minute major penalty after the hack to Hintz, but upon official review the call was changed to a two-minute minor. The Stars failed to score on the ensuing power play.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer was not pleased with the play after the game.
“I’ll answer your question with a question,” DeBoer said when asked about the referee’s decision. “Does anyone in this room think if Connor McDavid gets carried off the ice like that it’s not a five-minute major? That’s my answer to your question.”
Here’s what Pete DeBoer had to say about Darnell Nurse’s slash against Roope Hintz that forced Hintz out of the game.
“I’ll answer your question with a question…” 🎙️⬇️ #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/enBxIAopao
— SportsDay Stars (@dmn_stars) May 24, 2025
Game 2 had more of a sense of physicality than Game 1, perhaps due to the way Wednesday’s contest ended. At the buzzer of the Stars’ Game 1 win, the teams came together with a full-line brawl that set the stage for a harder-hitting affair on Friday night.
Hintz is second on the team with five playoff goals for the Stars. No update on his status for Game 3 was given on Friday.
Twitter: @coylio33
Getting chippy: See photos as Stars, Oilers get physical in Game 2
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