Looking back at all playoff meetings between the Oilers and Stars

Game 4 was, you guessed it, another close game as the Stars won 4-3. Tied at two heading into the third, Brent Gilchrist scored less than two minutes into the period, and Jamie Langenbrunner scored the game-winner four minutes later. A late Smyth goal gave the Oilers hope, but they were unable to pick up a 3-1 series lead.

They were able to pick up a 3-2 series lead, though, as Joseph saved 43 shots in a 1-0 double overtime victory thanks to Smyth’s third of the postseason just 22 seconds in.

Returning to Edmonton for a chance to clinch the series, the Oilers fell 3-2. The game was tied after two thanks to Czerkawski’s third of the series, but Modano scored with just over five minutes left in the third for the Stars’ victory.

Every Oiler fan knows about Game 7 of the 1997 first round, even if they weren’t born yet (like me). The final goal of regulation came with 20 seconds left in the second, as Kovalenko scored his third of the postseason. With eight minutes left in the first overtime, the block ramped up off Joseph’s blocker on a wrap-around, leaving Joe Nieuwendyk all alone in front of the net. Joseph was able to dive across to make the save.

Less than a minute later, Todd Marchant burned the Stars’ defender and beat former Oiler Andy Moog’s blocker side to win the series.

This was the high point for nearly a decade.

1998 playoffs

The Oilers made the playoffs five of the next seven series, always losing to the Stars. They defeated the Colorado Avalanche (who they lost in the postseason before) in seven games, with Joseph making another incredible save.

Game 1 saw the Oilers fall 3-1, as Sergei Zubov scored twice in the first period. The Oilers cut the lead in half, but Mike Keane scored the insurance goal three and a half minutes into the third. There were positives to take away from this game, as the Oilers outshot the Stars 32-14.

They ended up winning Game 2 by a score of 2-0. Weight scored with four minutes left in the second period, and Rem Murray scored an empty-netter. Joseph saved all 15 shots in the victory.

It was all the Stars from there, even if the games were close. Game 3 was a 1-0 overtime victory for the Stars, with Benoit Hogue scoring with seven minutes left in the first overtime period. The fourth was tied at one heading into the second, but Hogue scored twice over the last two periods for the 3-1 win.

Facing elimination, the Oilers fell 2-1, with Greg Adams’ goal with less than two and a half minutes left in the game being the game-winner. The Oilers cut the lead in half as Bill Guerin scored with 29 seconds left, but they couldn’t pull out the comeback.

1999 playoffs

In 1999, the Stars won the Presidents’ Trophy, facing the eighth-seeded Oilers for the third consecutive year. This time, the Oilers didn’t even get a win, albeit all four games were close.

Edmonton took a 1-0 lead into the third period in Game 1, by Jere Lehtinen scored 13 seconds into the final frame. With under seven minutes left in the game, Guy Carbonneau scored the game winner. Game 2 was tied at one midway through the third period, but the Oilers were outscored 2-1 in the final 10 minutes to fall 3-2.

The third game saw the same score as the series shifted to Alberta. Smyth scored twice, once in the first and early in the third, but the Stars answered with three unanswered goals to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

In Game 4, the Oilers had a 2-1 lead midway through the third before Langenbrunner scored his second of the postseason. This time, Nieuwendyk managed to beat the Oilers’ netminder in overtime for the game winner, scoring with less than two and a half minutes left in the third overtime period.

The Stars went on to win their first and only Stanley Cup.

2000 playoffs

Finishing in the seventh seed, the Oilers once again played the Stars in the first round, the fourth straight postseason matchup between the teams. Thanks to Roman Lyashenko’s goal midway through the third, the Stars took Game 1 by a score of 2-1.

Game 2 wasn’t particularly close, as the Stars shut out the Oilers 3-0, with goals from Kirk Muller, Brett Hull, and Scott Thornton. The series shifted to Alberta for Game 3, with the Oilers picking up the win thanks to four consecutive goals from Weight, Jim Dowd, Smyth, and Weight again. They ended up taking this one 5-2.

That was the high point of the 2000 postseason, as the Oilers fell 4-3 in Game 4. The game was tied heading into the third period, by Carbonneau’s goal five minutes into the period was enough for the Stars’ victory. Again, it was another third-period, game-winning goal for the Stars in Game 5, as Hull scored with five minutes left for the 3-2 victory and the series win.

2001 playoffs

For the first time since the division were renamed and restructured in 1993-94, the Oilers finished above the seventh or eighth spot, finishing sixth in the Western Conference in 2001. Guess who finished third?

This was the closest matchup since 1997, as the Oilers managed to take two games from the Stars. Game 1 was a 2-1 Stars’ victory thanks to Langenbrunner’s overtime goal early in the period.

However, the Oilers left Dallas with a 1-1 series tie thanks to a 4-3 win in Game 2. The Stars had a 2-1 lead in the first period, but Georges Laraque, Murray, and Anson Carter scored three unanswered goals. Darryl Sydor scored early in the third for the Stars, but it wasn’t enough.

As was the case for two-thirds of the series, Game 3 went to overtime. Down two with a minute and three seconds to go, Smyth and Murray tied the game up to send it to overtime. It was Hogue with just 12 seconds left in the period that won the Stars the game.

Game 4, shockingly, went to overtime as well. Carter scored for the Oilers in regulation, Keane for the Stars. With under three minutes left in the first overtime period, Mike Comrie buried the game-winner to send the series to Texas tied at two.

The Stars took a 2-0 lead into the third period of Game 5, but the Oilers stormed back with three goals in under three minutes to take a 3-2 lead. John MacLean scored for the Stars with just over four minutes left, sending it to overtime. Eight minutes into the extra frame, Muller scored for the 3-2 series lead.

Back in Alberta for Game 6, Ryan Smyth scored the first goal of the game less than five minutes in. The lead held into the middle of the third, when Hull scored to tie it up. It looked as if overtime was happening for the fifth straight game, but Nieuwendyk scored with under three minutes left. Modano added an empty-netter, with the Oilers falling 3-1.

2003 playoffs

Both teams missed the postseason in 2002, but the one-sided rivalry resumed in 2003. Once again, the Stars earned home ice, finishing as the best team in the Western Conference. The Oilers were once again the eighth seed.

Modano opened the scoring in the first period, but Smyth and Horcoff scored in the second, which was all the Oilers needed en route to a 2-1 victory. Game 2 didn’t go as smoothly, as the Stars thumped the Oilers 6-1, with Marty Reasoner’s goal opening the scoring.

With the series shifting to Edmonton, the Stars had a 2-1 lead early in the period, but goals from Fernando Pisani and Radek Dvorak gave the Oilers a 3-2 victory and 2-1 series lead. Unfortunately, it was all the Stars from there, as they scored twice in the third period to win 3-1 in Game 4.

Game 5 was another Stars’ victory, as they scored the first four goals, with the Oilers eventually cutting that lead in half. Manny Malhotra scored an empty-netter to give the Stars a 5-2 win and a 3-2 series lead.

The Stars went up 2-0 in Game 6, but the Oilers stormed back with goals from Smyth and Horcoff in the second period. With just seven minutes to play, Modano scored to give the Stars a 3-2 lead, eventually winning the series 4-2.

2024 playoffs

And then we come to the current day. A lot changed over the course of two decades, as the Oilers got a generational talent in Connor McDavid, while the Stars had a ton of depth, leading to the highest point total in the National Hockey League.

Game 1 was tied after three thanks to a late Tyler Seguin goal, but it was Connor McDavid who scored 32 seconds into double overtime to give the Oilers a rare 1-0 series lead in the McDavid era.

The second game was tied heading into the third, but Mason Marchment scored early to give the Stars a 2-1 lead, and Esa Lindell scored an empty-netter for the 3-1 win. Game 3 was another Stars’ victory, as the Oilers blew a 2-0 lead and allowed two goals in the third period for the 5-3 loss.

Something changed after that. Needing a victory in Game 4, the Oilers got just that, defeating the Stars 5-2 after the Stars took a 2-0 lead. Ryan McLeod, Evan Bouchard, Mattias Janmark, Leon Draisaitl, and Mattias Ekholm combined for five unanswered goals to tie the series.

Edmonton took the series lead with a 3-1 victory in Dallas. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins opened the scoring in the first and added a second early in the second period. Five minutes into the middle frame, Philip Broberg scored to make it a 3-0 lead. Wyatt Johnston scored for the Stars with just under six minutes left, but it wasn’t enough.

With a chance to go to their first Stanley Cup Finals since 2006, the Oilers did just that with a 2-1 victory. McDavid and Zach Hyman both scored power-play goals in the first to take a 2-0 lead. The game stood that way until midway through the third period when Marchment cut the lead in half. But Stuart Skinner held strong, saving 33 of 34 shots as the Oilers only mustered 10 shots in the 2-1 victory.