Hockey can be cruel. And for Stars fans, this one probably felt like a punchline they’ve heard too many times. For the third straight year, Dallas made it to the Western Conference Final. And for the third straight year, they watched the other team celebrate on their ice.

This time, it was the Edmonton Oilers doing the handshakes early. Game 5 wasn’t a battle — it was a blitz. Three goals in the first eight minutes. A goalie pulled before most fans finished their nachos. A team that looked like it had run out of answers before the game even got going. The final score — 6-3 — barely tells the story.

If it feels like you’ve seen this before, you have. Edmonton ended Dallas’s season in this exact same building a year ago. That one went six games. This one only needed five.

So it’s another trip to the Final for the Oilers. Same opponent, too. The Florida Panthers await once again. But everything about this version of the Oilers feels different — steadier, deeper, and more prepared.

A Familiar Feeling in Big D

The Stars came into the playoffs looking like one of the West’s most well-rounded teams. They finished with 113 points — second in the Central Division behind the Avalanche — and rolled into the postseason with a deep forward group, veteran experience, and a power play that ranked among the league’s best for stretches of the season. They went the distance against Colorado in a tough seven-game first-round series, then handled Winnipeg in six, leaning on their scoring depth and solid goaltending from Jake Oettinger.

But when they ran into Edmonton, everything started to unravel. The old issues that haunted them in past playoff runs came roaring back — sluggish starts, a penalty kill that couldn’t buy a stop, and far too many games spent trailing. They gave up the first goal in 15 of their 18 playoff games, including all five against the Oilers. And once you're constantly playing catch-up against a team that transitions like Edmonton, you’re in trouble.

McDavid and Draisaitl constantly punish mistakes. Their power play is brutal. Their speed exposes even the smallest cracks. And if you're chasing early and often, you're just not going to win four out of seven.

The Oilers played like a group that had been here before and knew exactly what it would take. They didn’t overextend themselves or lean too heavily on their stars. They clogged lanes, broke up cycles, and turned defensive stops into transition chances.

Whenever Dallas showed signs of life, Edmonton had an answer waiting. It wasn’t just the Oilers being fast and skilled — it was them being smarter, more balanced, and more mature in the biggest moments.

Eight Minutes of Mayhem

Game 5’s opening eight minutes were a movie — and will probably haunt Dallas fans for quite some time. It was supposed to be a do-or-die home game for the Stars, but it started like a nightmare. Edmonton scored three times on their first six shots: Corey Perry opened the floodgates with a power-play tap-in, Mattias Janmark slipped behind the defense for a backdoor finish, and Jeff Skinner buried one to make it 3-0 before the Stars even broke a sweat.

Pete DeBoer had no choice. He called timeout and yanked Jake Oettinger after the second goal, he had already given up two on just two shots. In came Casey DeSmith, thrown into the fire. After the game, Oettinger admitted it stung. He called the benching “brutal” and said he felt like he let the team down.

Still, Dallas didn’t roll over. Jason Robertson ripped one past Skinner later in the first to give the crowd something to stand for. Roope Hintz added a power-play rocket in the second to cut it to 3-2, and for a minute, it felt like the Stars had life.

But the Oilers weren’t fazed. Connor McDavid responded with a breakaway goal to make it 4-2. Robertson scored again just 38 seconds into the third to trim it to one, but before the place could even finish celebrating, Evander Kane banked one off Esa Lindell and in to crush the momentum.

Then, with under two minutes left, Kasperi Kapanen — clutch again — sealed it with an empty-netter. Dallas pushed, but every time they got close, Edmonton shoved them right back down. That’s the kind of composure that wins playoff series.

Oilers Don’t Need Superheroes Anymore

McDavid capped Game 5 with a goal, an assist, and another ridiculous milestone — 100 career playoff assists in just 90 games, the second-fastest ever behind Wayne Gretzky. It was vintage 97 on the biggest stage, but what stood out more was how little Edmonton needed him to carry the load. Leon Draisaitl hit the 25-point mark in the playoffs for the third time in his career, joining Messier and Kurri in a club reserved for postseason monsters. But even he wasn’t asked to be a superhero. That’s the shift with this team.

Corey Perry, the 40-year-old playoff mercenary, scored his seventh of the postseason. That’s the most by any player age 39 or older at the start of the playoffs. Mattias Janmark, always lurking in the margins, keeps making timely plays. Kasperi Kapanen’s stat sheet doesn’t wow you, but he’s got back-to-back clutch goals to close out series. And then there’s Jeff Skinner. After more than a thousand games without a playoff goal, he finally found the back of the net — in a conference-clinching game, no less. You couldn’t have scripted it better if you tried.

And while the skaters up front got plenty of shine, Stuart Skinner quietly turned in one of his steadiest playoff performances yet. He only faced 17 shots in Game 5, but he didn’t let in a single soft one, which is exactly what the Oilers needed once the lead started bouncing around.

Go back to Game 2, where he shut out Dallas with 25 saves. Or Game 4, where he stopped 28 and took the air out of the building. A year ago, the question was whether Skinner could hold up deep in the playoffs. Now? He looks like a guy who’s settled into the moment and figured out how to win without needing to steal the show.

The Turning Points

Game 1: Third‑Period Collapse – Edmonton had a 3–1 lead heading into the third and looked fully in control. But then came the breakdown. Dallas roared back with five unanswered goals — three of them on the power play — to completely flip the script and take Game 1. It was a gut punch that reminded Edmonton that you can’t take a shift off in the playoffs. Ironically, that wake-up call may have been the best thing that could’ve happened. From that point on, the Oilers never stopped pushing.

Game 2: Skinner’s Shutout – The bounce-back was swift and decisive. Stuart Skinner silenced every doubt with a 25-save shutout, his third career playoff blanking, and Edmonton evened the series. More than the numbers, it was the way he controlled the game — calm, efficient, and in total command. It gave the Oilers belief that their goalie could handle the pressure, and it gave the Stars their first real taste of frustration.

Game 3: Statement in Edmonton – This was the turning point. Six different Oilers found the back of the net in a 6–1 demolition job that felt like a warning shot to the rest of the league. The crowd at Rogers Place was rocking, the Stars looked overwhelmed, and Edmonton played one of its most complete games of the season. From that moment on, the series felt like it belonged to the Oilers.

Game 4: Putting Them on the Brink – Game 4 was all about maturity. No panic, no letdowns. Draisaitl’s power-play laser gave Edmonton control, and Corey Perry’s insurance marker snuffed out Dallas’s comeback hopes. Stuart Skinner was rock solid again with 28 saves, shutting the door whenever the Stars made a push. The win gave Edmonton a 3–1 series lead and put Dallas on the edge of elimination.

Game 5: Eight‑Minute Avalanche – The knockout punch. Edmonton came out flying, scoring three goals in the first eight minutes to silence the crowd and yank Jake Oettinger from the net. Dallas tried to fight back — and credit to them for making it interesting — but every time they landed a punch, Edmonton had a counter ready.

Depth Wasn’t Just a Bonus — It Was the Difference

Ask any Oilers fan what held them back last year, and you’ll probably get a version of the same answer: they leaned too hard on their stars. When the games got tighter and the spotlight got hotter, the depth just didn’t come through.

So GM Ken Holland went hunting — not for flashy names, but for guys who had been through the fire and wouldn’t flinch. Corey Perry signed for the league minimum after his run in Chicago ended. Kasperi Kapanen came off waivers when the Blues decided to hit reset. And Jeff Skinner was a deadline-day swing that didn’t cost much more than a mid-round pick.

None of those moves stole headlines in March. But they’re the reason Edmonton is back in the Final. Perry chipped in seven playoff goals — second only to McDavid — and played like a guy with a clock in his head for big moments. Kapanen might not rack up points, but he showed up when the games were tightest. Skinner, who had waited over a decade to get into the playoff mix, finally found twine when it mattered most. 

And that’s the biggest difference. This year’s Oilers aren’t just top-loaded. They don’t need McDavid and Draisaitl to do it all every night. They’ve got answers up and down the lineup, guys who know how to handle the moment and chip in without needing the spotlight. That’s how you win in May. And maybe — finally — in June too.