The Edmonton Oilers vanquished the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7, setting up a Western Conference Finals showdown against the red-hot Dallas Stars.
The Oilers have now racked up series wins over the Canucks and Los Angeles Kings to emerge from the Pacific Division's side of the bracket, and they're making their second conference final appearance in three years. In 2022, they were swept by Colorado.
The Stars have run a gauntlet to get to this point, going through the last two defending Stanley Cup champions in Colorado and Vegas, two great teams with questions in goal they've been able to get by after falling behind early in the series.
RELATED ARTICLE: Oilers Pepper Canucks, Win Game 7 Thanks to Strong Depth Play
Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars
This is an intriguing matchup for a conference final, as it features Dallas' roster that is loaded top to bottom and primed to compete for a Stanley Cup.
Edmonton, on the other hand, is looking to prove that it has the depth necessary to get through this tournament and allow Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
The Stars play a methodical, fundamentally sound game and make their opponents pay for their mistakes at a high rate, while the Oilers' firewagon style seeks to force as many mistakes as possible.
This should be a good one, as the Stars have the sort of players that can make big names for themselves when contrasted against Edmonton's high-flying talents.
Wyatt Johnston has been a breakout star in this postseason, and his ability to continue to find the back of the net would go a long way toward giving Dallas its best chance to win this series.
The Stars boast a deep and talented defensive unit anchored by all-world lefty Miro Heiskanen, who will be tasked with slowing down McDavid to the best extent he can.
Another potential separator between these two teams is in goal, as Dallas's Jake Oettinger at the top of his game is a far better option than Edmonton's Stuart Skinner, who briefly lost the net in the second round series against Vancouver before taking it back and coming up big in Games 6 and 7.
But Skinner does have that higher level in him, and Oettinger has been strong in the postseason but did struggle for much of the regular season. Still, though, you have to give the edge to Oettinger.
While Edmonton will get its production from McDavid and Draisaitl, Dallas has more options to come through in the biggest moments, and players like Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Logan Stankoven, and others could feast against the bottom of the Oilers lineup when those opportunities present themselves.
Series Prediction: Dallas in 6
READ MORE: Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen Looking for Title to Cement His Super-Elite Status
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