(Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)
The Western Conference’s top seed in 2024 has one more obstacle to climb in quest of reaching the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals against a team they haven’t faced in the Playoffs since 2003.
The Dallas Stars host the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the 2024 Western Conference Finals at American Airlines Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.
2024 is the seventh time that the Stars and Oilers will play each other in the Playoffs since the Stars relocated to Dallas in 1993. The Stars are 5-1 against the Oilers in the six Playoff matchups. The last time came in 2003 when the two played in the first round when the Stars eliminated the Oilers in six games.
Entering tonight, the Stars have dropped their last six Game 1s. However, there is optimism after the Stars punched their ticket to their second consecutive Western Conference Final after Matt Duchene scored in double overtime in Denver against the Avalanche last Friday in Game 6.
The Oilers also punched their ticket to the Western Conference Final after earning a Game 7 road win in Vancouver against the Canucks; the Oilers trailed 3-2 in the series. It’s the second time in three seasons the Oilers are in the Conference Finals.
Edmonton has a stacked offense as they have three players with at least 20 points in the 2024 Playoffs. Leon Draisaitl leads the NHL with 24 points (8G, 16A) in the 2024 Playoffs; Connor McDavid has 21 points, but 19 are assists; Evan Bouchard has 20 points (5G, 15A). Zach Hyman has scored the most goals in the 2024 Playoffs with 11.
In the 2023-24 season, the Stars took the season series against the Oilers 2-0-1. In the final meeting on April 3 in Dallas, Jake Oettinger recorded a 35-save shutout in Dallas’ 5-0 win. Dallas scored four goals in the second period.
Last year against the Golden Knights in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, the Stars fell in six games and didn’t have home ice advantage. This year, the Stars will have home ice advantage.
Dallas’ road to the 2024 Stanley Cup has been one of the toughest roads in NHL history after defeating past two Stanley Cup winners and now having to deal with two the league’s best players with McDavid and Draisaitl. Roope Hintz will remain out of the lineup for Dallas.
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