IT'S A WRAP!!!
- Ivan Dawkins
- May 30
- 4 min read
Dallas Stars Get Trounced, Eliminated with a THUD by Oilers in Game 5 Blowout!!
May 29, 2025 - Ivan Dawkins, BS3 Network COO/Staff Writer
The curtain has officially dropped on the Dallas Stars’ 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff run, and it ended not with an epic fight, but with a semi-lifeless whimper. Don't let the final score fool you. This was really NEVER a game. I'm extremely disappointed. My colleagues in the media will vouch for the fact that I'm firmly on record as someone who absolutely loves Stars' coach Pete DeBoer. But the NHL is a league that pulls the trigger quickly on coach firings. Let's just hope the pistol remains chambered on this one. The natives will definitely be restless after DeBoer pulls starting goaltender Jake Oettinger just seven minutes into the contest after giving up two early soft goals. In fairness, it wasn't all on Otter, but you can't bench the whole defense. Coach DeBoer said in his post game presser, that he was just looking to provide a spark. He also commented on Jake's record against Edmonton dating back to last year's playoffs. No matter where you stand on the yanking of Otter, this will be an interesting off season. Is this a fence that can be mended? Will this have long term mental or emotional effects for Jake?
In a Game 5 Western Conference Final that quickly devolved into a nightmare, the Edmonton Oilers steamrolled the Stars 6-3 on their own ice, punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final in dominant fashion. It was over before it even really began. It was a clinical dismantling from puck drop, and the Stars had few answers, little pushback, a dull spark, and no sign of the team that battled through a tough Western bracket to get there. The Oilers stormed out of the gate with three goals in the first ten minutes, forcing Stars head coach Pete DeBoer to pull starting goaltender Jake Oettinger after he allowed the first two tallies. Oettinger, who had been solid for much of the postseason, was left hung out to dry by a porous and seemingly uninterested defense that couldn’t slow Edmonton’s relentless pace. In came backup Casey Desmith, tasked with stemming the bleeding, but the damage was already done mentally, emotionally and physically. Desmith gave up a goal of his own soon after his entree into the shellacking. By the time the first intermission mercifully arrived, the Stars looked dazed, outmatched, and emotionally deflated. Thanks to Jason Robertson's third goal in three games, the Stars at least had a pulse.
The Stars put up a commendable fight the rest of the way, cutting the lead to one goal on two different occasions, but allowed the Oilers to answer very quickly both times. Once by Connor McDavid, widely regarded as the best player on earth. His ability to change the course of a game in an instant is unparalleled, and he proved it once again by scoring a crucial goal that reinstated the Oilers' two goal lead. His goal not only silenced the crowd but also served as a reminder of the offensive power that the Oilers possess. The other quick response marked by an unexpected turn of events came on a seemingly harmless play. Things took a bizarre twist when a shot from one of the Oilers ricocheted off Esa Lindell's skate, resulting in an own goal that was ultimately credited to the controversial figure of Evander Kane. This fluke goal was a stroke of luck for the Oilers, but it also highlighted the unpredictable nature of hockey, where even the most routine plays can lead to dramatic outcomes. The frustration was palpable among the Stars players and their supporters, as they had worked hard to close the gap, only to see their efforts undermined by an unfortunate bounce. The Stars showed their resilience and determination as they battled. They ignited hope amongst the AAC crowd, creating an electric atmosphere in the arena for at least a minute or two, but ultimately fell short and fell out of the playoffs.
Dallas, for its part, never found any semblance of life. Chasing in all five games against the Oilers and only able to catch them in one. The offense was anemic, the defense was overwhelmed, and any hope of a comeback in the series disappeared faster than Oettinger’s night. Mikko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, and several others were virtual non-factors, and even captain Jamie Benn, so often the emotional heartbeat of this team looked shell-shocked as the Oilers poured it on. After the first two early goals, the game was a formality. The Oilers cruised, the Stars chased, and the scoreboard told the ugly truth: 6-3. It wasn’t just a loss, it was a dismantling. The final horn sounded, and with it, the Stars’ season ended not in heartbreak, but humiliation.
The offseason begins now for Dallas, and the questions will come fast. Was this the last run for this core? What changes need to be made to finally push through the western conference ceiling? And how does this team bounce back after such a listless exit? Mr. Nill, you hav some tough decisions to make. I love you sir, but you can't re-rack and run it back. For now, one thing is certain. The 2025 Dallas Stars didn’t just lose. They got run out of the rink. IT'S A WRAP!!!
Ivan Dawkins is a journalist for bs3network.com - because someone has to make sense of this madness. Follow him on X at @ikingdawk before he tweets something he can't take back.
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I don't know much about sports but enjoyed keeping up with your excellent Coverage Ivan.
Great article to wrap up the Stars season!