from Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas News,

The playoffs are a minefield, scattered with ways to fail on the path to the Stanley Cup. There's off nights from goaltenders and more from power plays, a dominant top line or a dormant one. There are also ways to make heroes in the playoffs, the contributions from trade deadline acquisitions or from rookies, the games from third-liners and once-healthy scratches.

It's difficult and surprising and expectedly unpredictable, and this is how it's supposed to go.

On Monday, in the Stars' 2-1 overtime win in Game 6 over the Predators, there was a thriller after a heart-stopping third period and up-and-down extra frame, a gasp for air from Nashville via Pekka Rinne and a suffocation from Dallas and Ben Bishop.

Now, the Predators have been extinguished. A new challenge awaits the Stars later this week....

"We've had some good teams in here, but we haven't been able to show our stuff and get in those big moments because we haven't been in the playoffs," Stars forward Tyler Seguin said. "We had a lot of changes this year and a lot of uncomfortable conversations throughout the year. Guys came out of their comfort zones and that's what has made us a closer team, and that's why we won tonight."

read on

from Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean,

The sound of tape being ripped from pads was accompanied by silence and long faces.

In the end, the Predators were left shaking the Stars' hands and shaking their own heads. Their hearts broken abruptly deep in the heart of Texas.

A season that began with pomp and circumstance and banners and boundless expectations ended abruptly Monday night for the Predators with 2 minutes, 58 seconds remaining in overtime.

continued

Below, watch the game highlights and Peter Laviolette post-game.

added 12:02pm, Handshakes below.