THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – Get ready, hockey fans—it’s the start of a budding Western Conference rivalry as the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers lock horns again in the Conference Final, with Game 1 set for Wednesday night in Dallas.
Two powerhouse squads, both itching to take that elusive final step, collide in a best-of-seven series that promises speed, grit, and serious firepower.
Last year, it was Edmonton who got the upper hand, knocking out the Stars in six before falling to Florida in the Cup Final. This time, Dallas comes in seasoned, motivated, and with unfinished business.
“You’ve got two teams that have knocked on the door. Now it’s about kicking it in,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer. “We’re refreshed and ready.”
How They Got Here:
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Dallas (2nd in Central): Beat Winnipeg in six games, with an OT dagger in Game 6.
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Edmonton (3rd in Pacific): Took out Vegas in five, with Stuart Skinner slamming the door in back-to-back shutouts.
This series could be a heavyweight classic. Edmonton is on a mission with Connor McDavid (17 playoff points) and Leon Draisaitl (16 points) driving the offense. But Dallas is deeper than ever, boasting scoring threats across all four lines and a workhorse in net with Jake Oettinger (2.47 GAA, .919 SV%).
Regular Season Snapshot:
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Stars won season series 2-1
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Robertson and Hintz both tallied 6 points vs. Oilers
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McDavid, Hyman, and Bouchard led the charge for Edmonton, but goaltending was shaky—Skinner posted a 3.99 GAA across those three matchups.
Players to Watch:
Dallas Stars
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Mikko Rantanen leads all playoff scorers (9G, 10A).
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Miro Heiskanen is back—and heating up. A key x-factor as the Stars transition to attack.
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Jake Oettinger, who’s 5-0 after a loss in these playoffs, will be pivotal.
Edmonton Oilers
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Corey Perry brings that gritty, net-front playoff menace. Tied with Draisaitl for team lead in goals (5).
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Evan Bouchard has 12 points from the blue line and is anchoring the power play.
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Skinner has a .944 SV% in his last 3 games. Will he carry that into a hostile Dallas arena?
Key Numbers:
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Dallas has scored 12 different goal-scorers this postseason—that’s balanced firepower.
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McDavid ranks 7th all-time in Oilers history for Conference Final points (17), trailing only legends like Gretzky, Messier, and Kurri.
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Thomas Harley’s OT clincher made him the third-youngest defenseman ever to end a series in overtime.
What It’ll Take:
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Dallas wins if: They continue to roll four lines, and Oettinger remains sharp. Depth scoring and a hot power play (31.3% vs. Winnipeg) are the formula.
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Edmonton wins if: The power play wakes up. The Oilers went 1-for-11 vs. Vegas. That won’t cut it against Dallas, who can punish undisciplined teams.
Projected Lineups:
Dallas Stars
Granlund – Hintz – Rantanen
Benn – Duchene – Seguin
Marchment – Johnston – Robertson
Steel – Dadonov
Harley – Heiskanen
Lindell – Ceci
Bichsel – Petrovic
Oettinger (starter), DeSmith
Edmonton Oilers
Nugent-Hopkins – McDavid – Hyman
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Kapanen
Kane – Henrique – Brown
Frederic – Janmark – Perry
Kulak – Bouchard
Nurse – Stecher
Walman – Klingberg
Skinner (starter), Rodrigue
Thunder Bay Angle:
With deep playoff runs like these, small-town rinks across Northwestern Ontario feel the ripple. Kids on backyard ice dream big when McDavid dangles or Oettinger stands tall. With Hockey Night in Canada setting up for another epic series, fans in Thunder Bay are dialed in—from local sports bars to living rooms, this one’s appointment viewing.
Game 1 goes down Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, SN, CBC, and TVAS.
Grab your snacks, don the jersey, and settle in—because this Western Conference Final is going to be a barnburner.
