Fueled by a dominant first period and another clutch performance from their captain, the Oilers took care of business on the road Thursday night, defeating the Dallas Stars 6-3 in Game 5 to win the Western Conference Final. The win not only clinches the series 4-1, but sets up a dream rematch of last year’s championship showdown with the Florida Panthers.
It’s the Oilers’ second consecutive trip to the Final and marks the culmination of a season defined by adversity, grit, and the unwavering leadership of Connor McDavid.
And from the opening puck drop, it was clear the Oilers weren’t planning on a Game 6.
Dominant First Period Sets the Tone
Just 2:31 into the first, Corey Perry opened the scoring on the power play, his seventh of the postseason, capitalizing on a beautiful setup by McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Perry’s veteran presence continues to pay dividends for Edmonton in the playoffs.
Moments later, Mattias Janmark, another depth forward stepping up at the right time, snapped a wrist shot past Jake Oettinger on a breakaway to double the lead. Then, only 58 seconds after that, Jeff Skinner notched his first goal of the playoffs to make it 3-0. The building went silent. The Oilers had scored three goals on five shots. That resulted in the Stars pulling Oettinger and putting in Casey DeSmith
Dallas responded with a Jason Robertson goal midway through the period, and Roope Hintz added a power-play marker in the second to make it 3-2, but Edmonton didn’t flinch.
McDavid Responds, Kane Delivers Dagger
With the game tightening, McDavid showed why he’s the best player in the world. He collected a pass from Mattias Ekholm, cut into the slot, and snapped home his sixth of the playoffs to restore a two-goal lead with under six minutes left in the second.
Dallas once again made it a one-goal game early in the third thanks to Robertson’s second of the night, but it was Evander Kane who slammed the door shut. From a tough angle, Kane fooled DeSmith just over three minutes into the final frame, pushing the lead to 5-3.
Kasperi Kapanen iced it with an empty-netter in the final seconds.
Balanced Attack Powers Edmonton
McDavid (1G, 1A) and Draisaitl (2A) did their thing, but what made this win so impressive was the contribution from the entire lineup. Perry, Janmark, Skinner, and Kane all found the scoresheet, while the blue line, led by Jeff Walman’s two-assist effort, held off the Stars’ late push.
Goaltender Stuart Skinner wasn’t perfect, but he came up with key saves when it mattered, finishing with 14 stops on 17 shots.
Revenge Tour Set for Sunrise
The Oilers now turn their attention to the Florida Panthers, who defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in five games to win the East. Florida edged Edmonton in seven games in last year’s Final, including a heartbreaking game 7.