NEWSLETTER
We’ve got two fun conference finals matchups ahead of us as the Stanley Cup Playoffs have reached their final four stage. Wednesday, the Rangers and Panthers kicked things off at Madison Square Garden and Thursday night it will be the Oilers and the Stars who get things going in Dallas in the West.
Let’s take a look at what should be a showdown of contrasting styles in the Western Conference as we preview the Stars and Oilers’ upcoming series.
Western Conference Final Preview
Game Schedule
* – if necessary
Stanley Cup Playoffs & Eastern Conference Final Odds
Western Conference Final Odds
Odds to Win Stanley Cup
Conn Smythe Trophy Odds
Numbers to Know
Series X-Factors For Each Team
Oilers: Goaltending and defense. This Oilers team feels a whole lot like the last few we’ve seen in the playoffs. They can score with anyone, but when the game tightens up and isn’t as much of a track meet can they get the defense and goaltending they need to win? They did against LA and Vancouver, but they still showed vulnerability in those areas at times. Dallas is the best team they’ve faced thus far and has an incredibly deep roster that’s built for the postseason. Can the Oilers win games when things tighten up like they always do in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Stars: Get pucks on net. It’s easy to say, but if the Stars dictate the pace and control the puck, they should be able to win the series thanks to some leaky goaltending on Edmonton’s side. Oiler goalies have by far the worst save percentage of teams left in the postseason at 88.8%. Edmonton’s goaltending has been their Achilles heel for the last several years as they’ve been making these runs with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatil. If Dallas can consistently get pucks on net, I think that will be the case again this year.
Prediction: Stars in 6. The Oilers showed the last two games against Vancouver that they’re capable of playing a strong two-way game, but they just don’t do it consistently enough and Dallas will be a much stiffer test than they’ve seen with their depth. They’ll win a few games on the backs of McDavid and Draisaitl, but I just don’t buy into this team when playoff hockey starts to intensify and the game tightens up.
