NHL Playoffs: Dallas Stars vs Edmonton Oilers Series Preview

SportsGrid

Watch NHL Playoffs: Dallas Stars vs Edmonton Oilers Series Preview - SportsGrid on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Pete, let's get out to the Western Conference here from the Lone Star State.

00:06The Dallas Star is going to take on the Edmonton Oilers in this one.

00:09The total for this game listed at six and a half, which I love because it means we're

00:12going to get some wide open action, at least we think.

00:15Also a slight favorite in game number one here for Dallas and a slight favorite in the

00:19series.

00:20Let's get a nice little season, excuse me, series preview of what we can anticipate between

00:23Edmonton and Dallas here, Pete.

00:26Right.

00:27I haven't been overly impressed by the Oilers.

00:29They barely closed out.

00:31You remember guys, I was talking about them being a possible cup champion all year.

00:36I'm backing off that a little bit because they barely beat Vancouver in game seven.

00:42They did it on the road, which give them credit for, but if that game was another minute or

00:46two longer, Vancouver may have still tied it.

00:49They didn't have Thatcher Demko in the whole series and Brock Besser was out for game seven.

00:53So I was a little surprised that Edmonton, that it was so dicey in that series against

00:59an undermanned Canucks team.

01:01Dallas has to clean up its play at home.

01:03They're only three and four at home this postseason, despite some raucous environments down there

01:08in Texas.

01:10And I'm just looking for them to finally win a game one here.

01:14I mean, they have to step up and stop trailing in these series.

01:17They lost both game ones in the first round.

01:19I think with Edmonton, this could be a puck line situation, Dallas.

01:24I wanted to note three of their four victories against the great avalanche star power team

01:30in the second round.

01:31Three of them out of the four came by multiple goals.

01:34So that's a good note.

01:36Pete, Donnie's hoping that you are correct about Edmonton keeping this game close tonight

01:40because in this Western Conference finals, he's no longer Donnie right side with all

01:45of his cheering that has happened for the Oilers.

01:48He has proclaimed himself Donnie Dreisaitl, named after his favorite Oiler, Leon Dreisaitl,

01:54getting ready for this series.

01:56Donnie is with Edmonton the entire way in the Western Conference finals.

02:01Donnie, do you like the new lower third?

02:03Take a moment.

02:04Look at it.

02:05Note that it says Donnie Dreisaitl.

02:07Fantastic.

02:08That's beautiful.

02:09That's beautiful.

02:10That needs to stay here for as long as Edmonton is still in the cup race here.

02:13So let's get after it.

02:14Donnie Dreisaitl.

02:15Let's go.

02:16New handle.

02:18So Pete, as we look at the Game 1 odds, you saw Dallas a slight home ice favorite, minus

02:22128.

02:23The numbers for Game 1 look a lot like the numbers for the series outright here in the

02:29Western Conference finals, minus 126.

02:32That outright price in favor of Dallas.

02:35What do you think will be the key matchup that continues to emerge throughout the WCF?

02:41It's got to be the goaltending.

02:42That's a big advantage for Dallas with Jake Ottinger compared to the duo of Stuart Skinner

02:47and Calvin Pickard.

02:49You look at team save percentage, it's 913 for Dallas this postseason, 888.

02:55So sub-900 for the Oilers.

02:57That could be a problem the deeper they go in the playoffs.

03:00But yeah, I mean, Dreisaitl is where it's at right now.

03:03You can't even say anymore that if the Oilers win the cup, it'll definitely be McDavid.

03:08There are like three other guys on that team that are playing at a consmite trophy level.

03:13Dreisaitl has outscored McDavid to this point in the playoffs.

03:16He's always a menace on the power play.

03:17Zach Hyman is leading the entire NHL in goals.

03:21So there's always a prayer when that happens.

03:23I think Jonathan Marchessault winning the consmite last year for Vegas was a great example

03:28of that.

03:29And then also Evan Bouchard over the past two postseasons leads all defensemen with

03:3337 points in 24 playoff games.

03:36So really impressive what these guys are doing, especially Leon.

03:41So as we get ready for game number one of the Western Conference Finals tonight, we

03:46have seen a small favorite flip in terms of what things look like from the Stanley Cup

03:51overall outright odds.

03:53Florida now plus 160, the shortest we have seen on the Panthers.

03:58The Stars and the Oilers separated by only 40 cents and the Rangers dropped back to 6-1.

04:03But still, all four teams remaining in the hunt for Lord Stanley's Cup separated by less

04:09than four and a half dollars.

04:11Pete Jensen from the NHL, we appreciate the time on this Thursday to get us set for game

04:16number one of the Western Conference Finals tonight in Dallas.

04:21Great to be on with you guys.

04:22And yeah, I would argue that maybe Dallas is a little deeper than Florida.

04:25So that presents an opportunity right there.

04:28Two really strong teams though on paper that are looking like they're going to get to the

04:32Cup Finals.

Category

Transcript

Recommended