The Sabres were led by captain Michael Peca, head coach Lindy Ruff and goaltender Dominik Hasek.

The Stars were led by captain Derian Hatcher, head coach Ken Hitchcock and goaltender Ed Belfour.

The series ended with a controversial triple-overtime goal in game six, when replays showed that Stars forward Brett Hull scored with his skate in the crease.

Dallas entered the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winner for the second consecutive season as they clinched the best record in the NHL once again.

Dallas led 1–0 on a power play goal by Brett Hull, but Stu Barnes and Wayne Primeau scored 5:04 apart in the third to give Buffalo a 2–1 lead.

Jere Lehtinen tied the game in the final minute of the third period, but Jason Woolley scored at 15:30 of overtime to give the Sabres the series lead.

With three seconds left in the period, Dallas center Mike Modano tripped Buffalo goaltender Dominik Hasek, and a number of scrums broke out as time expired.

Dallas winger Joe Nieuwendyk fought Buffalo center Brian Holzinger in the circle to the right of Hasek.

Brett Hull scored on a slap shot, a one-timer on a pass from Tony Hrkac, from the top of the circle to Hasek's left with 2:50 remaining in the game, but Buffalo had an excellent chance to tie the game with Derian Hatcher being assessed a high-sticking minor 19 seconds later.

Mike Modano left the game with approximately ten minutes to play after suffering a broken wrist.

Facing a two games to one deficit in the series, the Sabres came through with a 2–1 victory on Dixon Ward's game-winning goal in the second period.

At 14:51 of the third overtime period, Brett Hull scored to end the series and win Dallas their first Stanley Cup.

Under the U.S. TV contracts that would take effect beginning next season, ABC would take over for Fox as the NHL's network television partner.