Oilers Beat Stars and Advance to Stanley Cup Finals

Back on November 22nd, the Edmonton Oilers were in disarray. They were 5-12-1 on the season, and replaced head coach Jay Woodcroft 13 games into the season with Kris Knoblauch in the hope of turning things around before the season was lost. From that low point, the Oilers bounced back, winning 24 of 27 and eventually finishing 2nd in the Pacific Division. Edmonton defeated Los Angeles and Vancouver in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, reaching the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars.

On June 2nd, the Oilers held off the Stars 2-1 in Game 6 of the West Finals to win the conference title and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals where they will play the Florida Panthers beginning June 8th. Edmonton had goals from Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman in the first period and made them stand up. Mason Marchment scored a goal in the third for Dallas, but that’s as close as the Stars would get. Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner stopped 33 Dallas shots; and on the other end, Edmonton had a grand total of 10 shots in the entire game, but still won.

Florida is looking for its first Stanley Cup. The Panthers reached the Finals last year and in 1996, but lost both times. Edmonton is making its eighth trip to the Finals, and first since 2006. The Oilers have won five times (1984, ’85, ’87, ’88, and ’90).