Because of the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday evening, the 2025 Stanley Cup Closing is formally set. It will likely be a rematch of final yr’s sequence between the Oilers and Florida Panthers.
That is the twelfth Stanley Cup Closing rematch from the earlier season in league historical past and solely the fifth within the enlargement period (since 1967). It’s the first for the reason that Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Purple Wings met in each the 2008 and 2009 playoffs.
The sequence is about to start on Wednesday, June 4 in Edmonton.
It can even be one other alternative for Edmonton celebrity Connor McDavid to seize his first championship, and with the way in which he’s enjoying proper now, it could be awfully troublesome to guess towards him.
Listed here are some key takeaways from Edmonton’s win on Thursday.
Dallas coach Pete DeBoer panicked and should have misplaced the sequence
Issues began poorly for the Stars on Thursday with the Edmonton Oilers scoring two fast objectives within the first eight minutes of the primary interval. That resulted in DeBoer calling a timeout, screaming at his group after which pulling his beginning goalie — Jake Oettinger — in favor of backup Casey DeSmith. It was a shocking transfer provided that Oettinger is by far the Stars’ greatest goalie and most suitable choice, whereas neither purpose was actually all on him given the poor defensive breakdowns in entrance of him.
The transfer instantly backfired as DeSmith gave up a fast purpose to Jeff Skinner after which allowed two extra objectives later within the sport. Every of them got here shortly after the Stars scored objectives to get again into the sport and construct some momentum.
Would the results of Thursday’s sport been totally different if Oettinger stays in web? Would the sequence have modified? Possibly not. However not sticking together with your man within the greatest sport of the season is the kind of transfer that’s going to get scrutinized so much when you don’t win.
Connor McDavid does it once more
This actually could be his yr. He’s making a distinction each sport and was an enormous difference-maker on Thursday with two extra factors, giving him a league-leading 26 factors within the playoffs. He bought issues rolling on Thursday with an help on their opening purpose after which confirmed off his pace within the second interval to present the Oilers a 4-2 lead.
