Edmonton Oilers
Oilers Off to Stanley Cup Final After Gritty Game 6 Win Over Stars
The Edmonton Oilers gutted out a win playing defensive hockey for over 40 minutes. They’re headed to the Stanley Cup Final after Game 6 win.
The Edmonton Oilers triumphed over the Dallas Stars with a 2-1 victory in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final, securing their spot in the Stanley Cup Final. This marks Edmonton’s eighth appearance in the finals and their first since 2006. The Oilers are now just four wins away from potentially becoming the first Canadian team to capture the Stanley Cup since 1993.
The game was notable for the Oilers’ remarkably low shot count, with only 10 shots on goal—an all-time low for a Conference Finals clincher. Despite this, Edmonton outlasted the Stars, who bombarded Oilers’ goaltender Stuart Skinner with 35 shots. Skinner delivered a stellar performance, making 34 saves and finishing the series with a .923 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average.
Skinner was asked about his break during the Vancouver series when he was pulled and Calvin Pickard came in twice in relief. Skinner said it was a good mental break and it gave him a chance to remind himself of what it was he was supposed to do as the Oilers’ starter.
Oilers Power Play and Penalty Kill Was Perfect in Game 6
Edmonton’s special teams were a decisive factor in the series. The Oilers scored five goals on special teams and allowed none, effectively neutralizing the Stars’ power play. Edmonton went 2-for-2 on the power play in Game 6 and maintained a perfect penalty kill record throughout the series, including a crucial short-handed goal by Mattias Janmark.
McDavid scored the first goal on a beauty deke and backhand. Zach Hyman scored the second goal on a great shot.
Oilers Bent But Didn’t Break
The game’s intensity peaked in the final minutes as the Stars attempted to mount a comeback. Mason Marchment’s goal on Dallas’s 30th shot cut the deficit to one, but the Oilers’ defense, led by Skinner’s heroics, held firm.
Edmonton seemed to content to try and hold the lead and they’ll likely look back and realize they need to push a bit harder on offense to make things less stressful, but it worked.
Evander Kane’s injury early in the game wound up leaving him out of the game in the third period. He tried a couple of shifts after getting hurt while delivering a hit, and it will be interesting to see if he’ll be affected heading into the Final.
The upcoming Stanley Cup Final will see the Oilers face off against the Florida Panthers. This matchup will set a new record for the longest distance between two competing teams in the NHL history, spanning 2,541 miles. The Oilers aim to end their 34-year championship drought and bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada.
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