NHL Playoffs: Oilers Beat Stars to Reach Stanley Cup Final, Set Series with Panthers

The Edmonton Oilers are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in nearly two decades.

The Oilers closed out their Western Conference final series against the Dallas Stars with a 2-1 victory Sunday night at Rogers Place in Alberta, giving them a 4-2 series win and securing a trip to the championship series for the first time since 2006.

The Oilers haven’t won the title since 1990, when they won their fifth in seven years. If the Oilers can win another title, they’ll be the first Canadian team to win the championship since 1993.

McDavid — playing in his first career Stanley Cup Final — put the Oilers on the scoreboard right away. On an early power play, McDavid found the net off a pass from Leon Draisaitl less than five minutes into the opening period.

That was his 30th point in the playoffs this spring, making him the sixth player in NHL history to record multiple 30-point playoff goals.

Towards the end of the period, McDavid found Zach Hyman and extended the lead.

Mason Marchment put the Stars on the board midway through the third period and Dallas outscored the Oilers 11-2 to open the final period. That push came too late. The Oilers held on until the end to take the one-goal victory and secure their trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Oilers, after sweeping their opening round series against the Los Angeles Kings, needed all seven games to reach the conference finals after a thrilling series with the Vancouver Canucks. They then took a lead over the Stars with a huge 3-2 double overtime win in Game 1 of the series. After losing two in a row, the Oilers won three in a row to close it out and reach the finals.

The Stars, on the other hand, have fallen short. Dallas, after losing in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, advanced to the conference finals for the second straight year this season under head coach Peter DeBoer. The Stars, despite finishing in first place in the playoffs, were eliminated early for the second straight year.

Oilers to face Panthers in Stanley Cup Final

The win gives the Oilers a series lead over the Florida Panthers.

The Panthers closed out their battle against the New York Rangers with a 2-1 victory on Saturday night in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference final series. The Panthers are now in the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year and the third time in team history. Last season, they lost to the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

The Panthers improved to 10 wins and 18 points this season, winning the Atlantic Division title before the postseason began. They then shut out the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the opening round before beating both the Boston Bruins and Rangers to secure a spot in the Finals.

The first game of the Stanley Cup Final is scheduled for Saturday night in South Florida.