Latest news with #WesternConferenceFinal
Edmonton Journal
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Another season for the Edmonton Oilers, another loss to the champions
Article content The year before that, the Vegas Golden Knights dispatched the Oilers in six games in the second round on their way to their franchise's inaugural title. And in 2022, the Colorado Avalanche swept the Oilers right out of the Western Conference Final before capturing the Cup. It's been a long line of having a front-row seat to champion-caliber runway strutting. 'We don't need to look very far at what it takes to win or what it feels like to play against a winning team,' said Connor McDavid. 'As you said, we've done it four years in a row now. The Oilers captain has a leg up on his teammates this season, however, after tasting victory at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, where he scored the gold-medal goal over Team USA in the final of the best-on-best tournament. 'Hockey at the 4 Nations was the best hockey I've ever been a part of for that level,' McDavid said. 'And a close second would be that Florida team that we just played.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Matt Duchene signs four-year extension worth $18 million with Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene has signed a four-year contract extension with the team, general manager Jim Nill announced on Thursday, June 19, 2025. The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million and will run through the 2028-29 NHL season. PuckPedia states the contract includes a full no-move clause for the first two seasons. In the final two years, it shifts to a modified no-trade clause, which allows Duchene to submit a list of five teams to which he can be traded. 'We are thrilled to have Matt back with our organization,' Nill said. 'As our team's leading scorer last season, he helped solidify our forward group while providing invaluable leadership off the ice and in the community.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: 1 simple trick to get all TV channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo Duchene originally joined the Stars in the summer of 2023 after the Nashville Predators bought out his contract. He signed a one-year, $3 million deal with Dallas and returned on the same terms for the 2024-25 season, and he delivered in both years. The 34-year-old from Haliburton, Ontario, recorded 30 goals and 52 assists for 82 points in 82 games this past season. It marked the second time in his career he reached the 80-point mark, and the third time he scored 30 goals in a single season. He finished second in team scoring behind newly-acquired forward Mikko Rantanen. Live Events In the 2023-24 season, Duchene had tallied 25 goals and 40 assists for 65 points, after inconsistent years with Nashville and the Ottawa Senators. In the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Duchene added one goal and five assists for six points. The Stars reached the Western Conference Final but were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers for the second consecutive year. Throughout his NHL career, Duchene has played 1,138 games, scoring 371 goals and adding 520 assists for 891 points. He has also contributed 37 points in 69 playoff appearances.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Oilers vs Panthers: Stuart Skinner gets start as Oilers face elimination against Panthers in Game 6 of Stanley Cup Final
The Edmonton Oilers turned once again to Stuart Skinner as their starting goaltender as they look to avoid elimination against the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Florida on Tuesday night. Facing elimination, the Oilers trail the best-of-seven series 2-3. Skinner started the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final before being replaced by Calvin Pickard in Game 4. Pickard helped the Oilers to a win in that game but was in net for the Game 5 loss. 'Feeling good,' Skinner said after his team's morning skate. 'Definitely know that I have the confidence of my teammates and the coaching staff.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Skinner, who has a 2.99 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage this postseason, started the first four games of the Final before being replaced by Calvin Pickard. He lost the starting job two games into the first round but regained it after Pickard was injured. Since then, he has had strong moments - most notably a stellar performance in the Western Conference Final against Dallas - as the Oilers continue their fight for the Cup. Live Events On defense, John Klingberg draws back into the lineup, while up front, Kasperi Kapanen returns, replacing Viktor Arvidsson. Head coach Kris Knoblauch and Oilers players have been quick to defend Skinner, stating he wasn't to blame for the team falling behind 3-0 in Game 4 'He was really good. It was us that let him down,' Leon Draisaitl said. 'He's had incredible games this year. There's just a trust factor that we know that he can get the job done for us.' "John's played some really good playoff hockey (and) there's not much hesitation to have him play," Knoblauch said. 'When (Kapanen is) dialed in, he's a really good hockey player. ... He brings a little of everything.' The Panthers are aiming to secure their second consecutive Stanley Cup title, with their first opportunity to clinch coming on home ice in Game 6.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dallas Stars most to blame for West Final loss to Oilers
The post Dallas Stars most to blame for West Final loss to Oilers appeared first on ClutchPoints. The season for the Dallas Stars, which produced an impressive 50-26-6 record during the regular season and thrilling series wins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets, is now over. Advertisement Dallas was done in for the second consecutive campaign by the Edmonton Oilers, dropping Thursday night's Game 5 by a 6-3 final score. It marks the third straight season in which the Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final but fell short of getting to the NHL's ultimate series. And naturally, there will be plenty of questions for the team and coaching staff to answer after they fell short of what they felt should have, at the bare minimum, been the club's first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 2020. But who on the Stars can realistically have the most blame laid at their feet for once again falling to the Oilers? Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin Two of the longest serving members of the Stars, both Benn and Seguin were complete non-factors for the Stars in the series against the Oilers. While Seguin found the back of the net twice in the opening game, Benn's picture may as well be on milk cartons all throughout the state of Texas right now. Advertisement Benn's performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs was, in a word, unacceptable. He's not only the team captain but is also expected to produce offensively. It's true that at 35 years of age, Benn's skills aren't what they once were. But to score only a single goal while adding literally two assists in 18 postseason games just isn't cutting it. Benn's performance in the playoffs last season already came into question when he managed only four goals. There aren't many who would have believed that he'd be kept off the scoresheet in all but one of the Stars' 18 playoff games in 2025, but that's the sad reality. Benn's contract is up this offseason, and it's very possible that he's played his last game as a member of the Stars. Right now, Stars GM Jim Nill likely will have little reason or motivation to re-sign him, especially after his complete no-show performance. As far as Seguin goes, he did have his moments in the playoffs which included his breakaway goal against the Oilers in Game 1 (the Stars' lone victory in the series) along with his overtime game-winning goal in Round 1 against the Colorado Avalanche. But like Benn, Seguin was nowhere to be found offensively for most of the postseason. He has two years left on his contract with an exorbitant cap hit of $9.85 million. Mikko Rantanen Acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in one of the biggest trades in recent team history, Rantanen looked like one of the best players in the NHL when he scored back-to-back hat tricks against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 and Winnipeg Jets in Game 1. Advertisement But that offensive touch fell completely silent in the final seven games of the postseason, which included failing to find the back of the net during the entire five-game series loss to the Oilers. Considering that the Oilers aren't exactly known as a defensive stalwart combined with the reputation of Stuart Skinner as being one of the league's most streaky goaltenders, Rantanen's disappearance from the scoresheet against the Oilers was especially disappointing. It brought an end to Rantanen's first postseason with the Stars since the trade, but there will be plenty more opportunities for Rantanen to redeem himself, as he's under contract for the next eight seasons. Jake Oettinger Perry Nelson-Imagn Images Stars fans everywhere are wondering the same thing — what on Earth happened to Oettinger in Game 5 on Thursday night? Advertisement Oettinger was pulled by coach Pete DeBoer in controversial fashion after he allowed a pair of quick goals on each of Edmonton's first two shots during the game; he didn't touch the ice again for the rest of the night and reportedly didn't speak to reporters after the loss. Stars management, led by Nill, recently saw fit to cement Oettinger's status as their main man in the crease with a handsome contract extension with an $8.25 million cap hit, making him one of the highest paid players at his position in the NHL. While Oettinger played well during the regular season (earning a roster spot on Team USA during the 4 Nations Face-Off) and for the most part during the postseason, Oettinger's performance against the Oilers for most of the series was questionable at best. The Stars needed him to be better, especially in the opening 20 minutes of play in an elimination game. Oettinger didn't deliver the kind of performance required of him compared to what he's being paid to do.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Edmonton Oilers most to blame for embarrassing Stanley Cup Final Game 3 vs. Panthers
The post Edmonton Oilers most to blame for embarrassing Stanley Cup Final Game 3 vs. Panthers appeared first on ClutchPoints. Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final had to be the worst possible time for the Edmonton Oilers to play their worst game in weeks. The Oilers had been rolling since dropping the first two games of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings. However, in one of their most crucial games of the year, they failed to show up and lost 6-1 to the Florida Panthers. Advertisement There is no shame in losing to the Panthers. They are a well-oiled machine in the middle of their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. However, the Oilers' effort was embarrassing after splitting the first two home games. It isn't a good sign for the Oilers that they looked outmatched in Game 3. It took comebacks in both of the first two games to get the game to overtime, and they managed to win one of those two games. However, they could easily find themselves staring at a 3-0 deficit in this series, just as they did last year, if the bounces had gone the Panthers' way in Game 1. Last season, it was Connor McDavid who put the team on his back and dragged them to Game 7. They are already ahead of last year's pace by winning at least one of the first three games, but their mindset entering Game 4 might be just as bad as it was last year after Monday night's result. The old Stuart Skinner returns for Oilers © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Stuart Skinner has been lights out for the Oilers since drawing back in the lineup after Calvin Pickard's injury. Skinner lost his starting job after Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, and Pickard rallied off six consecutive victories. Skinner returned in Game 3 of the second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights and went on his own little run, which included shutouts in three of his six wins to get Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Final. Advertisement Oilers fans jumped back on the Skinner bandwagon, but they'd be lying if they said it wasn't in the back of their minds that the old form could return. He allowed three goals on 32 shots in Game 1, but it was forgotten because Edmonton managed to steal the game. Then, he allowed five goals on 42 shots in the double-overtime loss in Game 2, and allowed another five on 23 shots in Game 3. Skinner has allowed 13 goals in the first three games, which is three more than he allowed in the entire Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. It's the unfortunate truth of playing the goaltending position, but within two weeks, Skinner has gone from hero to zero in Edmonton. The good news for Skinner is that there is still plenty of time to turn it around. All will be forgotten if he finds a way to steal a game on the road in Game 4 and make the final a best-of-three. However, if he stumbles again, Pickard could regain his net in hopes of putting together another winning streak. Oilers must stop stooping to Panthers' level The Panthers love dragging their opponents into a fight. They did it against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, and then took it to another level in Round 2 when the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 2-0 series lead. They start playing physical and borderline dirty, which takes their opponents off their game and seemingly adds fuel to Florida's fire. Advertisement Florida was lifeless at times in Game 1, but they found that drive in Game 2 and started dragging Oilers into the fight. Edmonton has an experienced group, but they also have some players who make it easy to get under their skin. Players like Trent Frederic, Corey Perry, and Evander Kane don't have an off switch when a game gets rough, and the Panthers are making them pay for it. The mindset is starting to seep its way down the lineup, as Game 3 featured some poor body language from the usually calm players, such as Darnell Nurse and Jake Walman. It was clear from watching that the Panthers are firmly under the Oilers' skin, and if past experiences are any indication, that is bad news for Edmonton. The Oilers finished the game with 85 penalty minutes, which gave the Panthers 11 powerplays. Florida converted three times on those chances, including the two goals in the third period, which put the game out of reach. Frederic, Kane, Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, and Kasperi Kapanen all finished with double-digit penalty minutes. The third period was a non-stop tantrum from the Oilers' roster, and the Panthers laughed all the way to the locker room with a 2-1 series lead. Related: Oilers' dream scenario in 2025 NHL Free Agency Related: Oilers' Jake Walman fined $10,000 after scuffle with Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers bench
