The Edmonton Oilers have secured their spot in the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive year, set to face off against the Florida Panthers. This achievement came after a decisive victory in the Western Conference Finals, where the Oilers triumphed over the Dallas Stars in five games.
In an intense Game 5 held on May 29, 2025, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Corey Perry initiated the scoring early in the first period. Just two and a half minutes in, Perry capitalized on a power play opportunity, receiving a feed from Leon Draisaitl behind the net. Showcasing great timing and precision, Perry found himself alone in the slot and quickly put the puck past Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, setting the tone for the game.
SCOREY PERRY STARTS THINGS OFF FOR THE OILERS!!! pic.twitter.com/6LVWY9qT5v
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2025
Shortly after, at around four and a half minutes into the game, Mattias Janmark doubled the Oilers' advantage. Taking advantage of a poor line change by the Stars, Janmark found an opportunity and netted the Oilers' second goal. The Stars’ ensuing timeout aimed to regroup their strategy, but the Oilers continued to press their advantage.
Following Janmark's goal, the Oilers maintained their momentum. Just 58 seconds later, Jeff Skinner added to the lead by poking the puck home during a sustained offensive surge by the Oilers, increasing the score to 3-0. This continued offensive pressure forced the Stars to make critical changes, including pulling Oettinger and substituting Casey DeSmith in goal.
JEFF SKINNER PLAYOFF GOAL
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2025
JEFF SKINNER PLAYOFF GOAL
JEFF SKINNER PLAYOFF GOAL pic.twitter.com/o72KtSY4da
Despite the Oilers' strong start, Jason Robertson answered for the Stars by scoring with 8:20 remaining in the first period, narrowing the score to 3-1. A power play goal by Roope Hintz in the second period further reduced the deficit to 3-2, as he blasted a one-timer past Stuart Skinner. However, the Oilers quickly responded, with Connor McDavid showcasing his elite skill on a breakaway to restore the lead to 4-2.
OH MY CONNOR MCDAVID ???????? pic.twitter.com/O62mJb5L2w
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2025
The third period began with Dallas quickly scoring again, as Robertson netted his second goal to cut the lead to 4-3. However, Evander Kane restored the two-goal cushion for the Oilers shortly thereafter, cleverly centering the puck from behind the Stars' net, leading to a fortunate bounce off a defender’s skate and into the net, making the score 5-3.
EVANDER KANE RESTORES THE OILERS TWO GOAL LEAD ???????? pic.twitter.com/laCaeDHvWN
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2025
The Oilers capped off their victory with an empty net goal from Kasperi Kapanen in the final moments of the game, closing the final score at 6-3. In a symbolic gesture, the Oilers chose to touch the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl this year, indicating a shift in their mindset as they prepared for the upcoming Stanley Cup Final.
Last year the Edmonton Oilers refused to touch the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2025
This year is a different story ???? pic.twitter.com/UtFadI6he3
As anticipation builds, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Edmonton.
