And then there were four. On Easter weekend, the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs began with 16 teams fighting to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Now, we are down to just four. The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers will battle for the Prince of Wales Trophy in the Eastern Conference. The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers will battle for the Clarence C. Campbell Bowl in the Western Conference. Today, we are going to take a look at the Western Conference and give our prediction as to who will represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.
Western Conference Final Preview: Stars vs. Oilers
Season Series: Stars Won 2-1
The Stars won two of three games against the Oilers in the regular season. Two came in March, when both teams were looking to solidify their playoff positioning. All three games saw five or more goals scored, including a 5-4 victory for the Oilers on March 8th. All but one game was decided by just one goal.
Playoff History: Rematch
Both teams have met each other a few times in the playoffs. The latest came in last year’s Western Conference Final, in which the Oilers won in six games. This marks the first rematch in a Conference Final since the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders met in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, it is the first rematch in a Western Conference Final since the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings met in 2013 and 2014.
Stars Keys to Victory
The Stars are in their third straight Western Conference Final following a seven-game series win in the first round and a six-game series win in the second round. Unfortunately, the Stars have been unsuccessful the last two seasons, but are looking to make this year different.
Stars Continue to Shine
Mikko Rantanen has excelled in his first postseason with the Stars. The forward leads the league in points with 19. He has nine goals, including two hat tricks. Jake Oettinger has also been strong in the net, including outdueling Connor Hellebuyck in Game 6 of the second round. Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen have contributed since returning from their respective injuries.
The Stars have gotten to the Western Conference Final despite key injuries to players. Since they have overcome these injuries, one would think their resolve to make it to the Stanley Cup Final is stronger than in recent years.
X-Factor on Defence
Speaking of Heiskanen, his return to the Stars lineup was greatly anticipated. However, his immediate impact shows how valuable he is to the team. In three games, Heiskanen recorded two assists and has returned to the top pairing alongside Thomas Harley.
Few doubted Heiskanen’s value to the Stars. However, his return and impact on the team are a great reminder of who he is. It is also a scary reminder to any opponent, in this case, the Oilers, that while the Stars have been winning the playoffs, they have not been healthy.
Oilers Keys to Victory
The Oilers return to the Western Conference Final after a six-game series win in round one and an upset series win in the second round. The team looks to become the first Western Conference team to return to the Stanley Cup Final since the Detroit Red Wings in 2008 and 2009. How can the Oilers return to the final round?
Home, Sweet Home
Teams that can win on the road in the playoffs succeed. However, playing strong in front of your home fans is also a significant asset. The Oilers have been an excellent home team so far in the playoffs. After falling behind 2-0 in round one, the Oilers returned home. They found their groove, winning Games 3 and 4 to even the series before they eventually won in six games. In round two, the Oilers went 1-1 at home, but they won a big Game 4, putting them on the brink of eliminating their opponent.
The Oilers are 4-1 at home this postseason. They will not have a home-ice advantage, but earning a split in Dallas will give them a great opportunity at home for Games 3 and 4. The Oilers have changed the course of their previous two series with their home-ice play. The Oilers will return to the Stanley Cup Final if that play continues.
Goaltending Duo
The Oilers have used both goaltenders to reach this point in the playoffs. Stuart Skinner, who led the Oilers to the Final last season, started the first two games against the Kings in the first round but was ineffective, allowing 11 goals. Calvin Pickard won each of the next six games, but was injured in Game 2 of the second round, so Skinner returned between the pipes. Skinner found his form, posting a 2-1 record with a 1.28 goals against average and a .944 save percentage. Furthermore, he ended round two with two-straight shutouts.
Pickard’s status is not reasonably known now, although the Oilers have said he could return in this series. For now, we will assume that Skinner gets the nod to start the series. To return to the Final, Skinner must play like he did in round two. He can be a difference maker, as shown last year. On a team full of stars like Connor McDavid, it is easy for someone like Skinner to get overlooked. However, he can be the reason the Oilers return to the Final. On the other hand, he could be the reason they do not.
Who Wins the Clarence C. Campbell Bowl?
Both teams have experience in this spot. Both have reached multiple conference finals since 2020, so no one is a stranger to this stage.
Both teams have reached this point with dominating play. Both teams have won via clutch goals. How are we supposed to pick?
We will pick the team with the least amount of question marks. The Stars are getting healthy. They have been getting scoring from their core players, and their goaltending has been fantastic. The Oilers have gotten similar production, but we know their “Achilles Heel”. If their goaltending cannot perform, this is the Stars series to win.
The Stanley Cup Final is returning to Texas. Hank Hill will approve, we tell you “hwhat.”
Stars win the series, 4-2.
Main Photo: Perry Nelson- Imagn Images
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