The Dallas Stars secured their spot in the Western Conference Finals with a thrilling 2-1 double overtime victory against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 at Ball Arena. Despite a controversial no-goal ruling in the first overtime period, the Stars persisted and ultimately emerged victorious. Here are five key takeaways from Dallas' Game 6 triumph:

1. Western Conference Finals Regulars:
The Stars' win has propelled them to the conference finals for the third time in five years, marking their best stretch since the late 1990s when they won the Stanley Cup in 1999. After falling short in the conference finals last year, they now have a chance at redemption and are just four wins away from reaching the final round for the first time since the NHL bubble in 2020.

2. Duchene Saves the Day:
Despite having a potential game-winning goal disallowed in the first overtime due to goaltender interference, Matt Duchene ultimately clinched the victory for the Stars with a decisive goal in the second overtime period. The disallowed goal sparked a league-wide debate on what constitutes goaltender interference, but it did not deter the Stars from securing the win.

3. Defensive Battle:
In a series known for high-scoring games, both the Stars and Avalanche displayed impressive defensive performances in Game 6. The teams' lockdown defensive play, combined with standout goaltending, resulted in a relatively low-scoring affair. Only one goal was scored in regulation, with an additional goal in the third period. The tight defensive play was further reflected in the number of blocked shots, with the Stars recording 34 blocked shots and the Avalanche tallying 35.

4. Stellar Goaltending:
Both goaltenders, Jake Oettinger for the Stars and Alexandar Georgiev for the Avalanche, delivered strong performances throughout the game. Oettinger made several crucial saves, including two notable ones against Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon. He ended the night with 29 saves and did not allow an even-strength goal. Meanwhile, Georgiev made 36 saves, with the only goal against him coming from a flawless pass that set up Jamie Benn for the tying goal in the third period.

5. Special Teams Struggles:
Special teams play continued to be a decisive factor in the series, as the team that won the special teams battle emerged victorious in each game. Unfortunately for the Stars, they once again fell behind in this area, with the Avalanche capitalizing on a power play opportunity to take a 1-0 lead in the second period. Despite holding Colorado's power play at bay in previous games, the Stars struggled in Game 6, going 1-for-5 on the power play themselves.

With their remarkable double overtime win, the Dallas Stars have etched their name into the Western Conference Finals yet again. As they await their next opponent, either the Edmonton Oilers or the Vancouver Canucks, the Stars are determined to make the most of this opportunity and rewrite their previous conference finals endings.