The Dallas Stars beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in overtime on Saturday night in Game 6, and will head to their third straight Western Conference Final, where they will meet the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight postseason.
This was a hard-fought series through and through, and Game 6 was a great representation of that. The Stars started the game fast and controlled play for the majority of the opening 20 minutes, while the Jets took back the momentum and carried the game in the middle 20 minutes. In the final 20 minutes, both teams went chance for chance, and both goaltenders had to make key saves to give their teams a chance in overtime.
Related: Harley’s OT Winner Sends Stars to Western Conference Final in 2-1 Win Over Jets
In the end, it was the Stars who came away victorious in Game 6, and consequently, the series. Focus will now shift to the Oilers, and the Stars will be trying to get back to the Stanley Cup Final after falling short in the Western Conference Final the last two playoffs.
But, before then, here are three takeaways from Game 6 at American Airlines Center.
There Is Nothing in Sports Like the Handshake Line
Before we get to the game itself, I want to start at the end and also address the tragedy that took place beforehand. Mark Scheifele’s father, Brad, passed away unexpectedly overnight on Friday, and the Winnipeg forward still dressed to play in Saturday night’s game and had a great game at that.
It’s easy to forget the human element in sports sometimes. As fans, we want players to perform. As media, we point out the good and the bad that we see on the ice, field, or court. It’s moments like this that help us remember that we are all human beings who go through real issues in life.
Even if you are a Stars fan, you couldn’t help but be elated for Scheifele when he scored the first goal of the game in the early stages of the second period. The smile on his face lit up every living room in which the game was being played. It was a poetic moment that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
As beautiful a moment as that was, it was a heartbreaking moment that closed out the game. Scheifele took a tripping penalty at the end of regulation that carried into the first couple of minutes of overtime. Ninety-three seconds into the extra period, Thomas Harley scored the overtime winner with Scheifele in the penalty box, which is another image that will stick in our minds for the foreseeable future.
That brings us to the handshake line. Even without all of the extra emotion that Saturday carried, there is nothing better in sports than the handshake line at the end of a series in the NHL Playoffs. Sure, in basketball and football, the players meet in the middle of the court or field, but there’s something special about both teams meeting at center ice and shaking hands, one by one. Two teams beat the snot out of each other and hate each other for two weeks. At the end, they all become humans and show each other respect.
On Saturday night, this handshake line hit different. Every single member of the Stars and the coaching staff took the time to embrace Scheifele. It’s a beautiful thing when the game fades away and humanity rises to the surface, and that’s exactly what we saw at the end of Game 6.
Stars’ Special Teams Executes Yet Again
Head coach Pete DeBoer said post-game that the special teams and goaltender Jake Oettinger are the main reasons why the Stars are moving on to the next round, and that certainly checks out if you watched this series thoroughly.
Against the Jets, the Stars were 31.3% on the power play and 85.7% on the penalty kill. In the playoffs in general, the Stars are 30.8% on the power play and 86.1% on the penalty kill. The kill has been great all season long, but playing with the man advantage was a real challenge to start the season, and it got rolling towards the end. In the playoffs, they have both been phenomenal, and they both have come through at the right time.
It was extremely fitting that this series ended on the power play. Steve Spott, the assistant coach responsible for the power play, was almost run out of town by Christmas time. The Stars were dreadful with the man advantage, and it only seemed to be getting worse. Now, they are the most well-rounded team in the NHL when it comes to special teams, which will be really important as they continue their playoff run.
Jake Oettinger Continues Terrific Postseason
The play of Oettinger has become something that DeBoer does not have to worry about heading into any game. Night after night, Oettinger gives his team a chance to win, and he did it again on Saturday night. Oettinger made 22 saves on 23 shots and made a number of miracle saves to keep the game tied down the stretch, including a diving save on Mason Appleton from a sharp angle at 11:22 of the third period.
Among goalies who have played at least six games this postseason, Oettinger is third with a .919 save percentage and fifth with a 2.47 goals-against average. He is also the first goalie to reach eight wins.
Bring on the Oilers
There will be more about this series against the Jets in the next couple of days, as well as previews for a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Final against the Oilers. Both of these teams are different from what they were at this time last year, and it’s going to be a clash of the titans, to say the least.
It’s been a wild and wacky ride so far, and the Stars deserve full marks for being where they are. That being said, they’ve made it this far for three straight seasons. Will this be the year they finally get over the top? We will find out in the next two weeks, and it all starts on Wednesday.
