You know, there’s this weird thing that happens in hockey where a series feels totally different than the final score suggests. If you just look at the bracket, you see the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars four games to two. It looks clean. It looks like the better team just won. But if you actually sat through those two weeks in late May and early June, you know it was way more of a scramble than that. Honestly, for a good chunk of that series, the Stars looked like they were going to steamroll their way into the Final.
They didn't.
Instead, we got one of the most intense coaching chess matches and special teams clinics in recent memory. By the time it was over, the 2024 NHL Western Conference Finals had fundamentally changed how people viewed this Oilers core. They weren't just a "power play and a prayer" anymore.
The Series Nobody Predicted Correctly
Going into Game 1 on May 23 at the American Airlines Center, the vibe was heavy on Dallas. They were the top seed in the West for a reason. They had eight 20-goal scorers. Their depth was terrifying. Meanwhile, Edmonton had just scraped past Vancouver in a seven-game war that left everyone wondering if Stuart Skinner could actually hold up under pressure.
The opener was a marathon. Two overtimes. It ended with Connor McDavid doing exactly what he does—putting himself in the right spot to redirect a pass and steal a 3-2 win on the road. It felt like a statement. But then, Dallas woke up.
Games 2 and 3 were basically a clinic in "Stars Hockey." They locked things down. They won Game 2 by a score of 3-1, and then they went into Rogers Place for Game 3 and absolutely silenced the crowd with a 5-3 win. Jason Robertson was a monster, potting a hat trick that made it look like Dallas had too many weapons for Edmonton’s blue line to handle.
At that point, Edmonton was trailing 2-1 in the series. Most analysts were starting to write the "maybe next year" columns for the Oilers.
How the 2024 NHL Western Conference Finals Flipped on Its Head
Kris Knoblauch, the Oilers’ coach who had taken over mid-season when things were a total disaster, made some calls that honestly felt like a massive gamble at the time. He pulled Vincent Desharnais and Warren Foegele. He brought in Philip Broberg—a guy who hadn't played a single minute of playoff hockey that year—and veteran Corey Perry.
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It worked. Like, immediately.
Game 4 started out looking like a funeral for Edmonton's season. Dallas jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. You could practically hear the air leaving the building. But then the Oilers’ penalty kill, which was statistically becoming one of the best in NHL history, started feeding the offense. Mattias Janmark scored a short-handed goal that changed everything. Edmonton ended up scoring five unanswered goals.
They won 5-2. Series tied. Momentum gone.
The Special Teams Disaster for Dallas
If you want to know why Dallas lost this series, you have to look at the power play. It’s kinda painful to look at if you're a Stars fan. They went 0-for-14 on the man advantage throughout the entire 2024 NHL Western Conference Finals.
Think about that for a second.
You have Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, and Miro Heiskanen on your power play, and you can’t get a single puck past Stuart Skinner for six straight games? It wasn't just bad luck; it was Edmonton’s diamond PK structure just eating up passing lanes. The Oilers’ penalty kill ended up going 28 consecutive kills without allowing a goal by the end of this series.
The McDavid Moment in Game 6
We have to talk about Game 6. June 2, 2024.
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The Oilers were up 3-2 in the series and had a chance to clinch at home. They only had 10 shots on goal the entire game. Ten! Dallas had 35. Normally, if you get outshot 35 to 10, you lose that game 99% of the time.
But Edmonton had the 1%. They had Connor McDavid.
Early in the first period, on the power play, McDavid picked up the puck on the left side. He danced through Sam Steel, then he pulled a toe-drag on Miro Heiskanen that was so disgusting it probably should have been illegal. He backhanded it over Jake Oettinger’s shoulder before anyone knew what happened. It was the kind of goal you see in a video game and complain that the physics are unrealistic.
That goal, followed by a Zach Hyman power-play marker, gave Edmonton a 2-0 lead.
From there, it was the Stuart Skinner show. Skinner had been benched earlier in the playoffs against Vancouver, but he returned in this series looking like a completely different human being. He made 34 saves. Dallas threw everything at him—kitchen sinks, laundry, the whole deal—but they only managed one goal from Mason Marchment.
When the final horn sounded, the Oilers had won 2-1. They were going to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006.
Why This Series Still Matters
Looking back, the 2024 NHL Western Conference Finals proved a few things that people usually get wrong about winning in the playoffs.
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First, depth is great, but top-tier elite talent usually wins the "big" moments. Dallas had the better 4th line, but Edmonton had the best player in the world. Sometimes that's the whole story.
Second, the "defense wins championships" mantra is a bit of a cliché, but "special teams win series" is a hard fact. Edmonton outscored Dallas on the power play and didn't give up a single goal while shorthanded. That is a statistical anomaly that is almost impossible to overcome.
Actionable Takeaways for Hockey Fans
If you're following the NHL and want to understand how these series usually break down, keep an eye on these specific metrics:
- Penalty Kill Aggression: Watch how Edmonton used a "diamond" PK to pressure the puck at the blue line rather than sitting back. It forced Dallas into rushed passes.
- High-Danger Scoring Chances: In Game 6, Dallas led this category significantly, but Edmonton's goalie "stole" the game. Always look at "Goals Saved Above Expected" (GSAx) to see if a result is sustainable or a fluke.
- The "Knoblauch" Effect: Lineup changes in the playoffs are risky. If a coach swaps out a regular for a "fresh" body like Broberg, it usually signals they've spotted a specific speed mismatch.
The Oilers eventually lost the Stanley Cup to Florida in seven games, but the way they dismantled the Western Conference's best team remains a masterclass in playoff adjustments. They didn't just outplay Dallas; they out-thought them.
To really understand the current landscape of the Western Conference, you have to look at the scars Dallas took from this series. They were the better team on paper, but in the postseason, the paper doesn't have to face a McDavid toe-drag at 20 miles per hour.
Next Steps for Deep Knowledge
- Review the NHL Edge data for Game 6 to see how Stuart Skinner's positioning compared to his early-round struggles.
- Analyze the Oilers' 1-3-1 neutral zone trap which they deployed heavily in the third periods of Games 5 and 6.
- Examine the impact of the Philip Broberg insertion on the Oilers' defensive transition speeds.