3 things Dallas Stars did wrong in do-or-die Game 6 loss to Edmonton Oilers

The Dallas Stars’ postseason run ended following their 2-1 defeat in game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers will now face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Meanwhile, the offseason officially begins for the Dallas Stars. As such, it’s worth taking a look at what went wrong in game 6 against Edmonton.

3 things Dallas Stars did wrong in game 6

#1: Their penalty kill failed

Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman scored with the man advantage in the first period. Overall, the Oilers’ powerplay went 2 for 2, leaving the Dallas Stars with an early deficit they could not overcome.

The Stars did not take another penalty the rest of the way, but the damage was already done. The Oilers’ powerplay, which had been relatively quiet throughout the postseason, roared back to life at the worst possible time for Dallas.

In short, the Stars were unable to contain Connor McDavid on both powerplay chances. In hindsight, had Dallas been able to keep McDavid in check, perhaps both goals would not have occurred.

#2: The Stars lacked quality scoring chances

The Stars outshot the Oilers 35 to 10 in the game. Despite the lopsided shot total, the Dallas Stars didn’t really test Stuart Skinner. The Oilers did a good job of minimizing high-danger chances, keeping the Stars mostly to the outside of the slot.

The Oilers blocked 20 shots, drastically reducing the number of scoring chances Dallas could have generated. Additionally, the Oilers kept the front of the net mostly clear, avoiding traffic around Skinner. This approach limited the Stars’ chances of picking up rebounds or pouncing on second chances.

It’s worth pointing out that the Oilers made the most of their chances. Their game plan was to play solid defensively, especially in the third period, as they played with the lead. This tight defensive game plan neutralized many of the Stars’ rush chances, as the Oilers’ forwards played a solid game in their zone.

On the whole, Dallas threw everything they could at the Oilers’ net, but nothing threatening got through.

#3: Jake Oettinger had his worst game of the postseason

Entering Game 6, Jake Oettinger had been stellar for the Dallas Stars. However, Game 6 would prove to be his worst game of the playoffs as he allowed two goals on ten shots.

Oettinger’s performance was subpar. While Oettinger isn’t solely to blame for the two powerplay goals, he could have easily shut out the Oilers after having faced only ten shots the entire game.

Unfortunately for Dallas, Oettinger had a rough night and the outcome was a loss that resulted in the Stars’ elimination.