The Oilers are heading back to the Stanley Cup Final, and they didn’t sneak in—they kicked the door down.
With a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, Edmonton clinched its second straight trip to the Cup Final. They’ll face the Florida Panthers in a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s seven-game heartbreak.
From the opening puck drop in Dallas, the Oilers made their intent clear. They scored three goals in the first 8:07—Corey Perry on the power play, Mattias Janmark on a breakaway, and Jeff Skinner banging one home in traffic. The Stars never recovered.
“They scored on their first two shots. That’s on us,” said Dallas forward Wyatt Johnston. “You can’t spot a team like that three goals and expect to climb back.”
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled after Edmonton’s second goal, and backup Casey DeSmith didn’t fare much better. Edmonton’s relentless start was led by their stars, but reinforced by depth and experience. Connor McDavid finished with a goal and an assist, including a second-period breakaway beauty that will live in highlight reels for years.
“That was a big player in a big moment,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse. “And that’s Connor. But what’s different this year is how deep we are. Everyone’s showing up.”
The Oilers’ lineup delivered across the board. Perry notched his seventh goal of the postseason—setting a record for players aged 39 or older—and Skinner scored his first-ever playoff goal, filling in for the injured Zach Hyman.
Coach Kris Knoblauch praised the team’s growth: “This group’s mature. They’ve seen a lot of playoff hockey. This has never been about just winning the West—it’s been about finishing the job.”
That job resumes Wednesday in Edmonton, where Game 1 of the Final will take place. The Oilers want more than redemption. They want the Cup.
And now, they’re four wins away.
