Stars enter the Western Conference Finals for the third consecutive time
May 17, 2025, 11:43 ET

Dallas - Thomas Harley scored 1:33 in overtime with a 1:33 advantage, while the Dallas Stars made their third straight season to the Western Conference Finals, defeating the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in Game 6 Saturday night.

Mark Scheifele scored in the Jets hours after his father's accidental death, but tripped the free throw with 14.8 seconds left in the regulations, which led Dallas to set up Dallas to start overtime at one-man advantage.

Sam Steel, who had scored earlier in Dallas, was at a break when Scheifele tried desperately to make a game while the Blue Line forward tripped over the forward. Xingxing called the timeout but missed a shot and was blocked again before the regulations were over.

The stars travel to Edmonton in the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive year and will host their first game. Connor McDavid and the Oilers, who won the championship in six games last year, ended the second round of the series with a 1-0 overtime win over Vegas on Wednesday night.

Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to end his sixth playoff series in the past three seasons. He made an incredible diving save with 8 1/2 minutes left in the regulations, leaning to the right, and then had to reach out to the left to knock down Mason Appleton's shot.

Hellebuyck stopped 19 shots in the loss, ensuring his unwinning record in the playoffs and his club. His final goal allowed Dallas' breakthrough Bleuliner Harley to last a magical season, as he also played against Canada in four countries this season.

Steel made his first goal in the playoffs midway through the second stage. He shot a long rebound from the top of the right circle, sending the puck into the upper right corner of the net above the Hellebuyck glove.

The Jets became the next presidential trophy champion to bow early. The award won the NHL's top regular-season team, which won the award last season by the New York Rangers before they succumbed to the Eastern Conference Finals. Two years ago, the Boston Bruins lost to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the first round.

"We lost to a great team," said Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel. "We lost to a team that was in our rearview mirror all year round."

Scheifele's efforts are not a loss to Dallas Pete Deboer, who started his post-match media availability, saying what the Jets forward did on Saturday's game was "brave", adding: "I'm sure his dad would be very proud of him and what he did."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.