Edmonton, Alberta (WGR Sports Radio 550) - For the first time since 2006, the Edmonton Oilers will play for the right to hoist the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers will be the Western Conference representative in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final after taking care of business against the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars in the playoffs.
Following a five-game series win over the Kings and a seven-game series victory over the Cauncks, the Oilers faced a tough matchup with the Western Conference's best team during the 2023-24 regular season in the Western Conference Final.
Edmonton earned a Game 1 win over the Stars in double overtime, as captain Connor McDavid played hero for the Oilers with a goal just 32 seconds into the fifth period of play.
Following a pair of wins by the Stars and facing a 2-1 series deficit, the Oilers managed to fight their way back in the series, starting with a win in Game 4 to even the series at 2-2. Then in Game 5, it was veteran Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scoring twice to help catapult Edmonton to a 3-1 win and a chance to win the series on home ice.
While the Oilers only managed to muster 10 shots on goal Sunday in Game 6, they made the most of them with two goals from McDavid and Zach Hyman, while netminder Stuart Skinner stopped 34-fo-35 shots faced to beat the Dallas Stars, 2-1, and win the series, 4-2.
Leading the way for the Oilers throughout the course of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been McDavid, who leads all skaters in this year's postseason with 31 points (5+26) in 18 games played. In the series with the Stars, he put up the best production of any skater with 10 points (3+7) in six games.
Right behind McDavid atop the overall scoring chart is Leon Draisaitl, who has contributed 28 points (10+18) in 18 games played. While he was kept relatively quiet in the series with Dallas, Draisaitl still managed to produce four points (2+2) in six games.
Leading all goal scorers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year has been Hyman, who has 14 goals scored in his 18 games played. In the six-game series against the Stars, Hyman contributed three goals and added two assists for five points.
From the back end, Evan Bouchard has dominated for the Oilers with 27 points (6+21) in his 18 games played for Edmonton. In the series against the Stars, Bouchard contributed seven points (1+6), including four assists combined in the final two games played.
While the Oilers got some elite production from its top players in the playoffs, Skinner has given Edmonton every chance to fight another day with his stellar play in goal. The 25-year-old has put up an 11-5 record in 16 games this postseason with a 2.50 goals-against average.
Even though those numbers aren't sparkling, his numbers against the Stars were, as he put up a 4-2 record with a 1.91 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
The Stars got some stellar goaltending once again from Jake Oettinger, who finished his 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 10-9 record in 19 games with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
In Dallas' six-game series loss, Oettinger was still good with a 2.56 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. However, he did not come up with the timely saves that his team maybe needed at a particular time.
Where the Stars also went wrong in their series with the Oilers is they could not find a way to solve Skinner in goal, despite throwing a number of pucks towards the Edmonton crease.
While Dallas was able to get three goals from the likes of Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson in the series, they failed to get much more from other top talent on the roster. Team captain Jamie Benn was only able to net one goal in the Western Conference Final, while others like Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski and Matt Duchene could not put the puck in the back of the net.
For the Oilers, the franchise is looking to win its sixth Stanley Cup and first since the 1990 season. In 2006, Edmonton advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, but ended up losing in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The only former Sabres player currently on the Oilers roster is winger Evander Kane, who spent parts of three seasons in Buffalo from 2015-17.
The Oilers will now face the Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final after Florida defeated the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final in six games. Game 1 of the series begins on Saturday night in Sunrise with an 8 p.m. ET faceoff at Amerant Bank Arena.
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