EDMONTON -- The Dallas Stars were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday.
The Stars (52-21-9) won the Central Division and finished the regular season with a conference-leading 113 points. They defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in seven games in the first round and the Colorado Avalanche in six games in the second round.
It's the second straight season the Stars were eliminated in six games in the conference final. They lost to the Golden Knights in 2023.
The skinny
Potential unrestricted free agents: Matt Duchene, F; Joe Pavelski, F; Craig Smith, F; Jani Hakanpaa, D; Derrick Pouliot, D; Chris Tanev, D; Scott Wedgewood, G
Potential restricted free agents: Ty Dellandrea, F; Sam Steel, F; Thomas Harley, D; Nils Lundkvist, D; Matt Murray, G
Potential 2024 Draft picks: Three
Here are five reasons the Stars were eliminated:
1. Special teams
This is a big one, on both sides. As strong as the Stars were on the penalty kill through the first four games (6-for-6), things started to fall apart in Game 5. They allowed two power-play goals and then two more in Game 6, which proved to be the difference. After going 9-for-31 on the power play through the first two rounds of the playoffs, Dallas went 0-for-14 in six games against Edmonton.
Asked if there were things they could've done differently on the power play, forward Tyler Seguin said: "I don't know, I don't know. I'm sure there are things."
2. Scoring dries up
The Stars scored twice in the first 5:29 of Game 4. After that, they were outscored 10-2.
Some players struggled either throughout or late in the conference final. Pavelski had 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 14 playoff games last year. This year, he had four points (one goal, three assist) in 19 games. Duchene, who scored the winner in Game 6 against Colorado, didn't have a point in six games against Edmonton. Neither captain Jamie Benn nor defenseman Miro Heiskanen got on the score sheet in Games 5 and 6.
"They did a good job defending," Stars forward Wyatt Johnston said. "They did a really good job, and we have to find ways to score. It's playoff time. There's no excuses, but you have to give them credit. They did a good job, but you have to work through that and find ways to get chances."
3. Not great at home
As good as the Stars were on the road in the playoffs (6-3), they struggled at American Airlines Center, where they went 4-6. They also lost Game 1 of every round on home ice.
Duchene said it was "hard to say" why the Stars couldn't find the same success in Dallas that they did on the road. Regardless, it didn't help them.
4. Defensive depth
Heiskanen averaged 28:11 of ice time per game in the postseason. Sure, he's used to playing big minutes, but it's still a lot on one player. Esa Lindell was next at 24:45. Tanev averaged 22:18 but was clearly not 100 percent after blocking a shot off his right foot midway through the second period of Game 4. Nils Lundkvist averaged just 4:28 of ice time in 12 games. Hakanpaa, who averaged 20:30 in 15 playoff games last year, was out with a lower-body injury this postseason. The Stars didn't have the depth on defense that they did at forward.
5. Lack of consistency
Honestly, both teams dealt with this throughout the series, it just seemed to hurt the Stars more. After a great start in Game 4 in Edmonton, they faltered, and the Oilers took advantage en route to a 5-2 win. A slow start in Game 5 was detrimental in a 3-1 loss. Dallas played well Sunday but couldn't finish.
"It's fine lines when you get to this time of the year," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said after Game 6. "I thought we had a little bit of an off night in Game 5 and they won, and they had a bit of an off night tonight and they still found a way to win.
"Tough to swallow."
