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Stars Advance to Western Conference Final After Ousting President’s Trophy Winner
May
Thomas Harley scored the game-winning goal at 1:33 of overtime, propelling the Dallas Stars into the Western Conference Final for the third consecutive season with a thrilling Game 6 victory over the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.
Mark Scheifele, who had scored earlier despite the recent heartbreaking loss of his father, also took a crucial penalty with just 14.8 seconds left in regulation, tripping an opponent and giving the Stars a man-advantage heading into overtime.
Sam Steel, who had scored earlier for Dallas, wisely backed off as Scheifele lunged forward desperately during the play, resulting in the trip at the blue line. The Stars called a timeout but missed a chance to shoot before overtime began.
Harley’s clutch goal continues his remarkable breakout season. The Dallas blueliner, who has represented Team Canada this year in four international tournaments, has become a vital part of the Stars’ lineup.
“There’s nothing surprising about what he’s done here,” said Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger, praising Harley’s emergence. “We’re very lucky.” The Stars now face the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Final for the second straight year, hosting Game 1 on Wednesday. Connor McDavid and his squad, who won six games last year, recently eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime 1-0 in Game 5.
Oettinger made 22 saves, earning his sixth playoff win in three seasons. His highlight came with eight minutes remaining, when he made an impressive save moving from right to left to stop a shot from Mason Appleton. Meanwhile, Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 shots but couldn’t prevent the defeat that ended the Jets’ run.
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“I’m just disappointed,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry. “We couldn’t kill that penalty for our fans and come back to win Game 7 in Winnipeg. But I’m really proud of this group and how we fought back… It just came up short.”
The Jets join a long line of President’s Trophy winners to exit early. Last season’s winner, the New York Rangers, lost in the Eastern Conference Final. Two years ago, top-seeded Boston Bruins fell in the first round to the Florida Panthers. “We lost to a great team,” said Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel. “We lost to a team we’ve been chasing all year.”
Scheifele’s effort was a focal point for Dallas coach Pete DeBoer, who praised the Jets star’s courage in playing despite his personal loss. “I’m sure his dad is really proud of him and what he did.”
For the Stars, it’s another step closer to the NHL Final Four, as the franchise pursues its second Stanley Cup title.
“I think we’ve got something special going on here. We have to prove it again,” DeBoer said. “We’ve gotten this far the last two years but haven’t taken the next step. That’s the challenge ahead.”
