- The Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars to reach the Stanley Cup Finals
- Dave Portnoy has backed both the Oilers and the Boston Celtics this year
- The Barstool Sports founder claims to have already won $5.4m in 2024 alone
Dave Portnoy remains on course for an eye-watering payday after the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars to book their place in the Stanley Cup Final.
Connor McDavid collected a goal and an assist as the Oilers ran out 2-1 winners over the Stars on Sunday. The victory means Edmonton win the series 4-2.
The Oilers, who last reached the championship round in 2006, will now face the Florida Panthers in a best-seven series that begins on Saturday in Sunrise.
After Sunday’s game, Barstool Sports founder Portnoy posted a clip of him celebrating the win at home.
He revealed after the game that he will win $1million if Edmonton land hockey’s biggest prize, in addition to $1.1m if the Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals.
Dave Portnoy remains on course for an eye-watering payday after the Oilers beat the Stars
Connor McDavid collected a goal and an assist as the Oilers ran out 2-1 winners over the Stars
‘If both those teams win I will be up $7.5min 2024 and have won every big event this year. This run should be taught in history books,’ Portnoy wrote on social media.
He claims to have already won $5.4m in 2024 alone, having backed Scottie Scheffler to win The Masters ($1.3m), the UConn Huskies to win a national championship ($2.1m), the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl, Washington to win the Sugar Bowl (both $500k) and Michigan to win the Rose Bowl ($1m)
In the video, meanwhile, a panting Portnoy screamed: ‘I told you this team would do it, I told you this team would do it.
‘I never doubted this team – we dominated start to finish. We’re not done. We’re not done. The Cup doesn’t belong in South Florida. It belongs in Edmonton.’
Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers, who won three consecutive games to claim the Western Conference final in six games. Goalie Stuart Skinner made 34 saves and defenseman Evan Bouchard netted a pair of assists.
Mason Marchment replied with the lone goal for the Stars, who were the conference’s regular-season champions. Goalie Jake Oettinger stopped eight shots.
McDavid celebrates his goal in the first period of Sunday’s victory over the Dallas Stars
McDavid’s highlight-reel-worthy goal on a power play opened the scoring at 4:17 of the first period, converting his team’s first shot on net. The Oilers’ captain eluded a couple of defenders with slick toe drags before chipping a back-hand tally for his fifth goal of the playoffs.
Hyman added another man-advantage marker at 15:42 of the first to double the lead. McDavid slipped a pass to Hyman as he headed to the slot, and he ripped a top-corner shot for his league-best 14th goal of the postseason.
Marchment finally solved Skinner with his team’s 30th shot of the night at 9:18 of the third period. Marchment’s shot off the rush went wide, but Tyler Seguin gained possession and sent a pass for Marchment at the doorstep, and he buried it for his third goal of the playoffs.
The Stars, who were the dominant team from the drop of the puck, pushed feverishly but could not find the equalizer during a frantic finish.
Dallas failed to convert during three power-play opportunities, and failed to score a man-advantage marker during the whole series. Edmonton has successfully killed 28 short-handed situations in its last 10 postseason games.
Oilers forward Evander Kane played only a few shifts in the final two periods after sustaining an injury in the opening period. He spent the bulk of the game sitting on the bench supporting his teammates.