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Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs’ Western Conference Final between Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers started with high intensity and closed in the same way Wednesday night.
An attack of power-playing goals from star players Mike Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene in the third period raised Dallas to a 6-3 win. At one point, the stars drew Oilers with two goals before marshing all the way back to the unlikely victory.
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Edmonton Oilers Defender Troy Stecher, #51, fights with Dallas Stars Center Oskar Back, #10, at the end of the game between Stars and Oilers in the Game One Western Conference Final in the 2025 Stanley Cup end game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on May 21, 2025. (Jerome Miron-Preferred Pictures)
When the horn sounded, several players from the stars and oilers mixed it at middle ice. Broadcast caught Edmonton -Defense Corey Perry, who went after stars Rookie Lian Bischel. Perry looked to mock the player after officials broke up.
Dallas left the ice with a 1-0 lead in the series over Edmonton.
Stars head coach Pete Deboer was pleased with how the team was able to take advantage of Power Play. Dallas had been 0-for-14 in six playoff matches against Oilers.
“I didn’t feel through 40 minutes that we had made (Oilers) earned the position they were in. So guys answered. We were lucky. We got some power-play goals,” Deboer said. “Glad for our power play. It required a lot of warmth last year at this time of year. That was the difference tonight for us, so it’s great.”
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Dallas Stars Center Mikael Granlund, #64, celebrates a goal with teammates Jason Robertson, #21, and Mason Marchment, #27, during the third period in match 1 of the Western Conference Finals in the NHL Hockey Stanley Cup playing game against Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday 21 May 2025 in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM OTERO)
Dallas became the second team since 1934, which had three power-play goals in the opening of six minutes of a playoff period. New York Rangers did it in Game 1 in the eastern conference final against Montreal Canadiens in 2014.
“The first power play we had was a bit like the rest of our game. Our execution was a bit gone, we didn’t play great acting with the puck, we didn’t have much support,” Deboer said. “I thought in the third we came out and we executed. I think you never know when this switch will go.
“Of course, when we’re at home here for this game, we get the first goal the amount comes into it, Momentum changes really fast. That’s the benefit of being home here for game 1.”
Linesman Trent Knorr, #74, Holds Dallas Stars right wing Evgenii Dadonov, #63 and Edmonton Oilers Defender Darnell Nurs, #25, apart in the first period in Game 1 in Western Conference Finals in NHL Hockey Stanley Cup -Playoffs Wednesday, May 21, 2025 in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM OTERO)
Game 2 is set for Friday night.
