The Dallas Stars have clinched a spot in the Western Conference Final for the third consecutive season after defeating the Winnipeg Jets in seven games. To finally break through that proverbial glass ceiling, the Stars will need to defeat the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final this time around.
The Stars outlasted the Jets in Game 6 with a 2-1 overtime win against the Jets. Dallas received a spectacular performance from goaltender Jake Oettinger, who kept the Jets at bay and finished the series strong.
The Stars possess one of the deepest forward groups across the NHL that is headlined by trade deadline acquisition Mikko Rantanen. Dallas has an impressive back end that recently got a boost as Miro Heiskanen returned to the lineup for the first time since January. On top of that, Oettinger looked like a brick wall in net over the final four games against the Jets, and could be the true difference maker for Dallas.
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Meanwhile, the Oilers, who limped into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, have looked unstoppable since dropping the first two games of their opening-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Since that point, the Oilers have won eight of their nine games and looked downright dangerous.
When it comes to the Oilers offensive attack, star forward Connor McDavid has continued to dominate with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Edmonton has five players that have registered at four goals, including veterans like Corey Perry, Evander Kane and Connor Brown. The Oilers are also hoping to get defenseman Mattias Ekholm back from injury later in the series, but Ekholm has already been ruled out for the first two games of the series.
These two teams met in the Western Conference Final in 2024 with the Oilers coming away with the series win in six games. This figures to be a very tightly-contested series once again.
Western Conference Final Schedule
All times Eastern
Game 1: Wednesday, May 21 | 8 p.m. | at DAL | ESPN, ESPN+
Game 2: Friday, May 23 | 8 p.m. | at DAL | TNT, ESPN, ESPN+
Game 3: Sunday, May 25 | 3 p.m. | at EDM | ABC, ESPN+
Game 4: Tuesday, May 27 | 8 p.m. | at EDM | ESPN, ESPN+
*Game 5: Thursday, May 29 | 8 p.m. | at DAL | ESPN, ESPN+
*Game 6: Saturday, May 31 | 8 p.m. | at EDM | ABC, ESPN+
*Game 7: Monday, June 2 | 8 p.m. | at DAL | ESPN, ESPN+
Stars vs. Oilers odds
Odds via DraftKings
- Series odds: Stars -110, Oilers -110
- Game 1 odds: Stars -125, Oilers +105
Game 1 score prediction
The Oilers have had nearly a week off since they wrapped up their second-round series against the Golden Knights. Edmonton needs to start fast and make a statement early on in this series. The Stars might not be quite as fresh, but they have had a few days to recover since eliminating the Jets. I think we’ll see a bit of a feeling-out process and this could easily be a low-scoring affair that’s decided in the third period. Prediction — Stars 3, Oilers 2
Stars vs. Oilers: Game 1 best bet
These are two teams that possess some of the sport’s top forwards, and no one will be surprised if the players like Mikko Rantanen, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl gets theirs throughout the series. However, the defensive core for both teams will loom large in many of these games that will likely be very tight. Stars defenseman Thomas Harley certainly hasn’t been afraid to put the puck of net, which was evident in his game-winning overtime goal against the Jets in Game 6. There’s no reason to believe Harley won’t continue to be aggressive as he’s registered at least three shots-on-goal in three of his last five contests. According to the experts at SportsLine, one of the best bets for Game 1 is Harley recording three shots-on-goal. The Pick: Thomas Harley 3+ shots-on-goal