Jason Robertson has natural hat trick in the Stars' 4-3 victory over the Oilers

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Jason Robertson had a natural hat trick in the second period and the Dallas Stars held off the short-handed Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Edmonton stars Connor McDavid (lower-body injury) and Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed) sat out for the second straight game. The Oilers then lost goalie Stuart Skinner in the third period after he was inadvertently kneed in the head by Mikko Rantanen.

Robertson had his second hat trick of the season and fifth of his career. Wyatt Johnston also scored as the Stars raced to a 4-0 lead. Roope Hintz assisted on Robertson’s three goals and Jake Oettinger stopped 42 shots. Dallas is 4-0-2 in its last six games.

Corey Perry, Adam Henrique and Zach Hyman scored for Edmonton in a late comeback attempt after Skinner was hit in the head and replaced by Calvin Pickard.

Stars: Defenseman Thomas Harley continued to impress with top defender Miro Heiskanen out with a knee injury. Harley, who was selected 18th overall in the 2019 draft, has four goals and 10 points in his last nine games. The 23-year-old had two assists Wednesday to match his career high of 47 points.

Oilers: It appeared Edmonton’s injury situation worsened in the second period when a pair of top players left the ice within minutes of each other. Zach Hyman went down awkwardly along the boards after colliding with Dallas winger Mason Marchment and went straight to the dressing room. Then, top defenseman Evan Bouchard was hit by a shot and also left the ice. Home fans were relieved to see both players return to the ice and complete the game.

Robertson tipped in Harley point shot for a power-play goal to make it 4-0 late in the second. It was Robertson’s third of the game and his team-leading 32nd of the season.

Dallas boasts an NHL-high five players with 25 or more goals this season — Robertson, Matt Duchene, Hintz, Johnston and Rantanen.

Both teams play the second of back-to-backs Thursday night. The Oilers are in Seattle, and the Stars visit Calgary.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Dallas Stars' Esa Lindell (23) and Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger (29) looks for the puck as Matt Dumba (3) knocks the puck away from Edmonton Oilers' Viktor Arvidsson (33) during the second period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Dallas Stars' Lian Bichsel (6) checks Edmonton Oilers' Jeff Skinner (53) during the second period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) is checked on by medical staff against the Dallas Stars during third period NHL action in Edmonton, Alberta, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Dallas Stars' Sam Steel (18) and Edmonton Oilers' Jake Walman (96) crash into goalie Calvin Pickard (30) during the third period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Dallas Stars' Jamie Benn (14) and Edmonton Oilers' Brett Kulak (27) battle for the puck during the third period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Dallas Stars' Jason Robertson (21) celebrates a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Dallas Stars' Thomas Harley (55), Jason Robertson (21) and Roope Hintz (24) celebrate a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer sentiment fell slightly in May for the fifth straight month, surprising economists, as Americans increasingly worry that President Donald Trump’s trade war will worsen inflation.

The preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s closely watched consumer sentiment index, released Friday, declined 2.7% on a monthly basis to 50.8, the lowest since June 2022. Since January, sentiment has tumbled nearly 30%.

Americans have largely taken a sour view about where the economy is headed in the wake of the Trump administration’s imposition of huge import duties, which threaten to slow growth and push up prices. In recent weeks, the White House has pulled back on its most draconian policies, though average duties are still high by historical standards.

Consumers are increasingly worried about rising inflation. The Michigan survey found that over the next 12 months, consumers expect inflation to jump to 7.3%, the highest since 1981 and up from an expectation of 6.5% last month. Over the next five years, they foresee inflation reaching 4.6%, the highest since 1991, up from 4.4% last month.

Those expectations typically run higher than actual inflation, which last month ticked down to 2.3%, the lowest level in more than four years. Still, economists and the Federal Reserve closely watch inflation expectations, because they can become self-fulfilling. If people are worried inflation will accelerate, they may take steps, such as demanding higher pay, that can push up prices.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has said the Michigan inflation expectation numbers are an “outlier,” but their steady rise could make it less likely the Fed will cut its key interest rate anytime soon.

Trump had slapped 145% tariffs on all imports from China, a move that effectively suspended trade with the United States’ third-largest trading partner in goods. But on Monday, the two countries said they had reached a deal that would lower U.S. tariffs to 30%, while China would cut its duties on U.S. exports to 10% from 125%.

The survey was taken between April 22 and May 13, which includes just two days after the China tariffs were reduced.

Yet on Thursday Walmart said it had started to lift prices in response to the tariffs and will do so even more in June and July just as families gear up the back-to-school season. The company counts 90% of the U.S. population as customers and price hikes at the nation's largest retailer may start to sink in with Americans who have already been buffeted by post-pandemic inflation.

FILE - A motorist fills up the tank of a vehicle at a Costco gasoline station late Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, in Sheridan, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Shoppers consider a large-screen television with the help of a sales associate in a Costco warehouse Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Sheridan, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)