Connect New Macbook to Old Book w/ No Screen?

Hello,

My old 17" 2.6GHz Core 2 Duo has lost the connection to the screen (hardware is really shot, and top is separating from bottom). It could be a black screen of death, but I don't think so. I'be been on the road, and so my last backup was five months ago. There are files I'd like to backup from the old machine, and/or transfer to the new one. The old macbook starts up fine, but no screen.

Is there anyway to have the new machine talk to the old one with a wired or wireless connection? Running Yosemite on both.

Thanks!