Edmonton Oilers reach first Stanley Cup final in eighteen years with 2-1 victory over Dallas Stars

Eighteen years.

That is how long it has been since the Oilers made it to the Stanley Cup final. They are headed there now, however, after a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday at Rogers Place.

Edmonton eliminated the Central Division champions in six games and begin the best-of-seven final series in Sunrise, Fla., on Saturday against the Florida Panthers.

A Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup since 1993, when the Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings. The Habs were the last Canadian club to reach the final – in 2021 – where they lost to Tampa Bay at the end of the pandemic-abbreviated season.

The Oilers have won it five times but not since 1990. The Panthers joined the league in 1993 and are still in search of their first Stanley Cup championship.

Oil Country went bonkers when Connor McDavid went forehand to backhand as he skated through traffic in front of the Stars net and flipped the puck past goalie Jake Oettinger a little more than four minutes into the contest. It was a remarkable highlight-reel goal for Edmonton’s captain, his fifth of the post-season and 30th point. It came on a power play with assists from Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard.

“To be honest that was a nice one,” Draisaitl said. “There is only one player in the world who can make plays like that and make things happen.”

Said Kris Knoblauch, the Oilers coach “He was our best player tonight. I don’t think there was a shift where he was on the ice where he wasn’t making a difference.”

The Oilers got a second power-play goal from Zach Hyman in the first period, and received superb goaltending from Stuart Skinner. The latter had 34 saves and stopped 73 of 77 shots over the last three games, all Edmonton victories.

“He was unbelievable,” McDavid said. “We wouldn’t be here talking about a win if it wasn’t for him. We’d be on a flight back to Dallas [for Game 7 ].”

McDavid’s goal came on Edmonton’s first shot of the evening and Hyman’s on its third. So strong early in the series, Oettinger allowed nine goals over the last three games.

The Oilers took advantage of another Dallas penalty later in the period when Zach Hyman netted his league-best 14th goal of the playoffs. McDavid and Bouchard each were awarded assists.

McDavid has five goals and 31 points in 18 post-season games.

The Oilers were last in the NHL standings a week into the season and 31st among 32 teams when Knoblauch replaced Jay Woodcroft as coach in November. They were still among the bottom three teams in the league in early December.

Edmonton last reached the Stanley Cup final in 2006 when it lost in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes. Although good in recent seasons, before that they had a stretch where they failed to qualify for the playoffs in 12 of 13 years.

“To be here now means a lot for sure,” Draisaitl said. “There have been a lot of painful years along the way and a lot of learning. This is a great feeling, of course, but we have bigger dreams and goals right now.”

The Stars came into the game 6-2 as a visitor in the post-season. They trailed the Golden Knights 2-0 in the first round and then eliminated them in Game 7 in Las Vegas. In Round 2, they also won Game 7 on the road over the Avalanche.

“We all know the situation we are in,” Jason Robertson, a Stars forward, said early in the day. “It’s do or die. We are playing for our season right now.”

Dallas put heavy pressure on the Oilers throughout the contest. It finally broke through on a goal by Mason Marchment with 10:42 remaining. It pushed and pushed but was unable to come up with the tying goal.

Dallas led the series 2-1 but the Oilers won the final three contests by a combined 10-4. They expected the Stars to come out on flying on Sunday and they did.

Edmonton killed off two power plays in the first period and another in the third – that’s 28 in a row since Game 3 of the second round – and put the Stars away.

“We closed out big games,” McDavid said. “They were not always the prettiest but we got the job done and that’s really all that matters.”

Edmonton advanced through the first round versus Los Angeles in five games, defeated Vancouver in seven in the second and Dallas in six. The Stars are a deep and veteran team and hoped to win the second Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Instead Edmonton is pursuing its sixth.

“You grow up watching the Stanley Cup and have key memories from it as a kid,” Hyman said. The former Maple Leaf is 31 and in his ninth season in the NHL and third with the Oilers. “You play for so long and never know if you are going to get a chance to play in a cup final. A lot of guys never get the opportunity.

“Every year you build and hear teams went through a lot of hard times. You start with the core group and add pieces along the way. It is a project that doesn’t happen overnight. You grow from within.”

In Edmonton’s dressing room, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) was blaring. Outside fans jammed the streets. They waved Oilers’ flags and chanted “We want the cup.”

After 16 years they have a shot at it.

“This was always part of the plan,” McDavid said. “It always has been. It has been a bumpy road, whether it be hard years or heartbreak in the playoffs. To put ourselves in this position feels great.”