Stars Surge Past Oilers in Game 1 Thriller, Ending in Ice Brawl

The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers kicked off their Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final with a fiery Game 1 on Wednesday night, delivering a spectacle that ended in a full-on brawl. The Stars, fueled by a third-period explosion of power-play goals from Mike Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund, and Matt Duchene, clawed back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 6-3 victory. This improbable comeback gave Dallas a 1-0 series lead and sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

As the final horn blared, tensions boiled over at center ice. Edmonton’s Corey Perry was caught taunting Stars rookie Lian Bischel, adding a spicy postscript to the game’s intensity. The Stars’ power-play prowess was the night’s game-changer, breaking a 0-for-14 slump against the Oilers in prior playoff matchups. Dallas became only the second team since 1934 to net three power-play goals in the opening six minutes of a playoff period, a feat last achieved by the New York Rangers in 2014.

Stars coach Pete DeBoer praised his team’s third-period execution, noting how the home crowd’s energy shifted momentum. "We got fortunate, but we earned it," he said, highlighting the power play’s redemption after last year’s criticism. Game 2 is set for Friday night, promising more high-stakes hockey.