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NHL Western Conference Final: 3 things to watch for in Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights series
The Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights will meet in the Western Conference Final of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In the first round, the Dallas Stars took down the Minnesota Wild before overcoming the Seattle Kraken in an intense Game 7 in their next series.
The Vegas Golden Knights dominated the Winnipeg Jets in five games and dispatched the Edmonton Oilers in six to reach the Conference Final.
Three things to watch in Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights series
2020 bubble rematch
The last time the two teams met with so much on the line was in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoff bubble. In Edmonton, Alberta, the Stars and Knights battled for the right to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the final.
Both teams spent more than eight weeks in the bubble and sacrificed time away from their loved ones and lives back home. The Stars and Knights were not ready to go home empty-handed.
Dallas came into this series with a lot of momentum after upsetting the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche. That momentum carried over. After both teams took home a shutout victory in Games 1 and 2, the Stars won three straight, all by one goal, with two coming in overtime. Denis Gurianov delivered the dagger in OT of Game 6 to send Dallas to their first Stanley Cup Final in 20 years.
That Vegas Golden Knights team was also coached by none other than Pete DeBoer, the current Head Coach of the Dallas Stars.
The best in the West
The Vegas Golden Knights flew under the radar all season, but why?
Vegas was a dominant force for most of the regular season. In fact, the Golden Knights held down the top spot in the West longer than any other club. Once they overcame the Stars in the standings, they did not relinquish it. It paid off, as Vegas was certainly given an easier first-round matchup than Dallas.
Vegas is for real. They have scorers, even more now that Jack Eichel looks like his old self. They have goaltending, and they play a strong two-way game under Head Coach Bruce Cassidy. They deserve more credit and they will look to earn it matched up against another West powerhouse in this series.
Which Jake Oettinger will arrive in Sin City?
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger was the best goalie in the first round of last year's playoffs. Actually, he put on one of the best goaltending performances of any series in NHL history. This postseason, it looked like that would continue, as Oettinger was excellent against Minnesota.
However, in the second round against Seattle, the 24-year-old struggled. He produced the worst statistical performance of his career (.706 save percentage) in Game 3 and the shortest start of his career (pulled after 24:23) in Game 6.
Which Oettinger will we see in the Western Conference Final? Will he put up numbers like Anton Khudobin in 2020? Or will Dallas have to find a way to outscore the Golden Knights?
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