The Dallas Stars are facing elimination in a road Game 6 contest against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. With a win, Edmonton can advance to the Stanley Cup Final to set up a date with the Florida Panthers — the Oilers would be the road team for that series. Before the game, let’s take a look at some stats, facts, and notes.
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Teams that have a 3-2 series lead in a best-of-seven Conference Final have an overall record of 73-16 in these series. 53 of those wins were in Game 6, while the other 20 of them have come in Game 7. The New York Rangers added to the former total, losing in Game 6 against the Panthers on the road — the same predicament the Stars find themselves in tonight.
As for teams that trail a best-of-seven series in the Conference Final 3-2, they have been victorious 36 times in Game 6 overall, losing 53 times. For road teams in this predicament, they have only won 12 of 45 such contests. The last time a road team won Game 6 in the Conference Final with their season on the line was the 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins.
In the Stars’ franchise history going back to the Minnesota North Stars, they have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-2 in a Conference Final series two times. Those instances were in 1999, a season where they eventually won the Stanley Cup, and their first season as a franchise in 1968.
The Stars are one of only seven teams in the past 30 years to win a Stanley Cup despite facing a 3-2 deficit in the Conference Final entering Game 6. The others to do this in that time frame are the 2018 Washington Capitals, the 2016 Penguins, the 2015 Chicago Blackhawks, the 2002 Detroit Red Wings, the 2000 New Jersey Devils, and the 1994 Rangers.
Related: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals Hub
Getting to some player stats, Joe Pavelski is set to play in the 33rd elimination game of his postseason career. Only Ray Bourque, Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis, Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara, and Larry Murphy have ever reached the 33-game mark. Of that group, only Thornton did not win a Stanley Cup — Pavelski would be the second. Ironically, they were teammates for 13 seasons with the San Jose Sharks.
Leon Draisaitl is one of three active NHL players who has recorded four assists in an elimination game, alongside Brad Marchand and Cale Makar. The first and only time Draisaitl did so was against the Calgary Flames in the second round in 2022.
In games where the Oilers can advance, goaltender Stuart Skinner has a 3-0 record. Jordan Binnington is the only other active netminder to have won his first three possible series-clinching games. If Skinner can do this again, he would be the seventh goaltender in NHL history to win the first four of such contests.
Stats and facts courtesy of NHL PR
