Stars vs. Oilers scores: Edmonton advances to Stanley Cup Final as Connor McDavid, goaltending come up big

McDavid and Skinner lead Oilers to first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2006

The Edmonton Oilers are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 18 years after their Game 6 win over the Dallas Stars. Things got a little tight late, but the host Oilers held on for a 2-1 victory to clinch the Western Conference Final.

Edmonton's best player rose to the occasion early as Connor McDavid opened the scoring after dancing around Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen and flipped a backhand shot past Jake Oettinger. Later in the period, McDavid floated a perfect pass onto the stick of Zach Hyman, who ripped a snapshot home to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead. That assist was McDavid's league-leading 31st point of the playoffs.

The last two games of this series, both wins for the Oilers, were really decided by special teams. After struggling for most of the series, Edmonton's power play finally came alive with a combined four goals in Games 5 and 6.

The Dallas power play, on the other hand, failed to convert on a single one of its 14 opportunities. The Stars held the Oilers to 10 shots in Game 6, but their complete inability to generate anything on the man advantage is what sunk them down the stretch in this series. Mason Marchment got the Stars on the board midway through the third period, but they couldn't find the equalizer.

The other story of Game 6 was Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner, who was benched for two games in the previous round. There were major questions about him heading into the Western Conference Final, however, he saved 34 of 35 shot on Sunday, and he played huge in the last three games, allowing a total of only four goals over those three contests.

Dallas Stars vs. Edmonton Oilers results

• Game 1 -- Oilers 3, Stars 2 (2OT)
• Game 2 -- Stars 3, Oilers 1
• Game 3 -- Stars 5, Oilers 3
• Game 4 -- Oilers 5, Stars 2
• Game 5 -- Oilers 3, Stars 1
• Game 6 -- Oilers 2, Stars 1

Keep it locked here with CBS Sports for updates, analysis and highlights as the NHL prepares for the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. Game 1 will be Saturday, June 8.

[Jun 2, 2024 at 10:51 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Game 6: Oilers 2, Stars 1

That will do it for the Western Conference Final. The Oilers are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006, and they will try to win their first championship since 1990.

Just like it did in Game 5, the Oilers' power play got started early and wound up being the difference in the game. Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman each scored on the man advantage in the first period, and that was all the offense Edmonton would need.

The Oilers totaled just 10 shots on goal, but their defense and goaltender Stuart Skinner were up to the task at the other end of the ice. Skinner, who was much maligned in the second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks, came up big with 34 saves to clinch the series on Sunday night.

McDavid tallied two more points in this one, bringing him to a whopping 31 in 18 games played this postseason. The Oilers' captain is playing his best hockey at the most important time of year, and he will play in his first Stanley Cup Final as a result.

The Stars' season ends with a whimper after looking like the deepest team in the NHL through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Perhaps the biggest reason for their downfall was an abysmal 0-for-14 effort on the power play in this series, including an 0-for-3 showing in Game 6.

The Oilers will now move on to play the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, and that series begins on Saturday night.