For the first time in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Dallas Stars hope to win Game 1 of a series and start the Western Conference Finals on the right note.
The puck drops in Dallas at 8:30 pm EST.
Home ice at the start of a series hasn’t seemed to matter too much for this Stars team so far. In Round 1 against Vegas, they dropped games 1 and 2 at home before winning the series in seven. In Round 2 against Colorado, they dropped the first game at home before winning three straight and clinching the series in six games.
They don’t ask how you got there, as long as you’re there.
That last point is a good thing for the Oilers, too. They beat the Kings in five games, but they always beat the Kings. It’s the rest of the conference the Oilers have a problem with.
Against the Canucks, they were almost eliminated in six, but strong defensive play and timely goals got the job done.
Against the Stars, a split on the road would be a beautiful thing, but that has proved to not matter for Dallas. For Edmonton to pull this off, it’s going to be a long, hard-fought series, and it all starts on Thursday.
How Will Oettinger Start for Stars?
In our series preview, we mentioned at length how key Jake Oettinger’s performance has been and will be in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In each series it took a few games for him to get settled in. It’s going to be very interesting to see if that trend continues against the Oilers.
He’s allowed 14 goals in the first two games of each series combined, with a record of 1-3. In the other nine games, the Stars are 8-2 with Oettinger allowing only 17 goals.
While it hasn’t bitten the Stars yet, putting yourself behind the 8-ball every series isn’t something you want to mess with.
Oilers Need More in Final Four
The Edmonton Oilers are known for their offensive firepower. So far this post-season, they have scored less than 3 goals only twice, and have scored more than 3 goals in 7 of 12 games. With all of that said, they are still going to need more if they hope to play hockey in June.
Leon Draisaitl is a true playoff performer, and with 24 points in 12 games, he’s played like it. Zach Hyman has carried his career goal-scoring year into the playoffs with 11 goals. On the back end, Evan Bouchard has had a terrific spring with 20 points, including 3 game-winning goals. Depth is an obvious, and massive concern moving forward. There’s no question.
There is a question, however, when it comes to super-duper star Connor McDavid. When you say that a guy who has 21 points in 12 games doesn’t look like himself, it speaks to how incredible of a talent McDavid is.
Only scoring 2 goals is a little weird, but he has 19 assists and 11 PP points. What’s wrong with that? The issue is, he’s capable of so much more, and the Oilers are going to need it. If you watch the games, his speed doesn’t look the same, and the time and space he usually creates aren’t quite there.
Many suspect he’s injured, but regardless, his contribution is going to be a massive talking point throughout this whole series.
What to Expect in Game 1
The last point of interest is the special teams.
In the regular season, both teams were in the top ten of PP percentage. In the post-season, the Oilers are first(by a mile) and the Stars are fourth. Both are very good.
On the penalty kill, however, there’s a huge discrepancy, and that might be where the Oilers find their edge.
After being top ten in the regular season, the Stars’ PK% is a staggering 69.2% in the playoffs, while the Oilers are an incredible 91.4%
In their two Game 1s, the Oilers have scored 11 goals and the Stars have scored 6. Does that mean Edmonton wins? I’m not sure, but I have a sneaky feeling this game is going to be a shootout.
For More Sports News:
Click here for a more in-depth analysis of every series this NHL post-season from Marc Sautter and others, plus what’s happening around the league.
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
