The Edmonton Oilers are Western Conference champions for a second straight year and will rematch the Florida Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final after eliminating the Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Thursday.
Edmonton defeated Dallas 6-3 in front of their home fans at American Airlines Arena. While Game 5 was never really in doubt, the Stars mounted several desperate comeback attempts late the game to make things interesting.
“It was a long night tonight, long night tonight, but we hung in there,” Connor McDavid told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan after the victory.
The Oilers scored three consecutive goals early in the first period and never surrendered the lead. Corey Perry struck on a power play 2:31 into the game and Mattias Janmark found paydirt shortly after, forcing Stars starter Jake Oettinger out of the net in favor of Casey DeSmith.
“I didn’t blame it all on Jake, but the reality is if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer explained after. “And we give up two goals on two shots in an elimination game. … That’s a pretty big sample size.”
DeSmith quickly surrendered a goal to Jeff Skinner 58 seconds after — the tally was Skinner’s first playoff goal in his 15-year career — giving the Oilers a commanding 3-0 lead.
Jason Robertson finally responded for the Stars with 8:20 remaining in the first period, capitalizing off a turnover and ripping a shot loudly off the post and in past Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner.
Roope Hintz narrowed Edmonton’s lead to 3-2 after scoring a power-play goal midway in the second period.
But McDavid responded with a stunning breakaway goal 2:01 later to restore the Oilers’ two goal lead.
In the third period, Robertson scored again 38 seconds into the stanza, but again the Oilers responded shortly after.
An Evander Kane centering pass bounced off a Stars player again giving back the Oilers’ two-goal lead.
Kasperi Kapanen would add an empty-net goal with 11 seconds remaining to close the scoring.
“I thought we played well all five games, honestly,” McDavid said. “Everybody stepped up, everybody made contributions. Fun group to be a part of for sure.”
After shaking hands with the Stars at center ice, the Oilers got handsy with the Clarence Campbell Bowl after not touching the trophy at all last year and losing in seven games to the Panthers in the finals.
McDavid held up the bowl when accepting the trophy from the NHL’s deputy commissioner Bill Daly. Other players could be seen patting the bowl as they skated by for the team photo.
“[The Panthers] are a heck of a team,” McDavid said. “Obviously it’s their third finals. They’re a special group, we’re a special group. It’s going to be fun. Can’t ask for a better opportunity than to go up against the team that beat us last year so really excited about it.”
He added, “It’s a heck of a chance.”
The Oilers and Panthers’ matchup will mark the 12th rematch in Stanley Cup Final history. Game 1 will be Wednesday at Rogers Place. See the full schedule.
