2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Western Conference Final Preview

The second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs is finally complete. Unlike the previous round, where there were three Game 7s, there was only one in the second round. It was probably easy to figure out who it was. It was Seattle and Dallas with the Stars coming out victorious.

But now the Eastern and Western Conference Final matchups are set. In the Eastern Conference Final, we have the Florida Panthers taking on the Carolina Hurricanes. In the Western Conference Final, we see a familiar face in the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas is looking to go back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2018, their first year of existence. Their opponent is the Dallas Stars, who defeated the Seattle Kraken in Game 7 by a score of 2-1 in their second-round series.

There is a lot to get into, so this year there will be two Conference Final posts. One for the Eastern Conference and one for the Western Conference. After diving into the East, Let’s dive into the Western Conference Final preview for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Final Preview

Western Conference Final

Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars

The Vegas Golden Knights were the first team to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final. It is the fourth time Vegas is going to the Western Conference Final in the past six seasons. Folks, the Golden Knights have only been around for six seasons. But this is the most complete group the Golden Knights have had since their existence in 2017-18. That year Vegas made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Washington Capitals in six games.

Under head coach Bruce Cassidy, Vegas has shown their ability to defend, score, score on the power play, and get the time save. While the Golden Knights have used five goaltenders this season including two in the playoffs, this is the same thing they did in their first year before Marc-Andre Fleury took the reigns. This year it went from Robin Lehner to Logon Thompson to Laurent Brossoit to Adin Hill. Add Jonathan Quick to the mix, but Vegas got it done. And that goes to Sean Burke their goalie coach.

And Vegas has flown under the radar as well. Despite winning the Pacific Division over the Edmonton Oilers, the team they eliminated in Round 2, nobody was really talking about them. But this team is for real folks. What was a weakness in their power play is strong once again thanks to Jack Eichel.

Eichel is showing he belongs in the playoffs and this is only his first taste of playoff hockey. In Round 2, he had four multi-point games which takes the pressure off Mark Stone. In addition, the Golden Knights depth scoring showed up. In total the Golden Knights have 13 playoffs with at least a goal through two rounds. Nine of those players have at least two or more goals. Talk about a well-rounded offence.

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And some of the original Golden Misfits are stepping up like Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, who had five goals against the Oilers, and William Karlsson. But Vegas also made the right moves at the deadline as well bringing in Ivan Barbashev, who adds playoff and championship experience. On the backend with Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, the Golden Knights is one of the best defensive corps remaining.

But Vegas has stumbled at this spot before, but this is a motivated and complete group of players ready to fulfill owner Bill Foley’s dream. It will not be easy against a familiar foe in the Dallas Stars. The Stars and Golden Knights met in the Western Conference Final in 2020 with the Stars coming out victorious. Vegas will want some revenge.

However, just like in 2020, the Stars have a rock-solid goaltender in Jake Oettinger. Oettinger has shown his ability to slow down the best offences around the league. Remember, hot goalies, have derailed the Golden Knights Stanley Cup hopes in the past. Though Oettinger did not play like himself in the first six games of the series against Seattle, he was sharp when it mattered in Game 7. The edge in goaltending definitely goes to Dallas.

The Stars are a very good home team they have gone 5-2 thus far. Dallas has a pattern of losing the first game on home ice and as we have seen with Vegas in this playoffs, they win their first game on the road. This will be definitely something to watch. Not to mention Pete DeBoer going up against his former club and the exit that was with the Golden Knights. However, if it does get to a Game 7, DeBoer is 7-0 after his win against Seattle and oh yeah he takes teams to a Stanley Cup Final in the first season coaching them.

Offensively, the Stars need more from Jason Robertson. He has 12 points, but only two goals. And he has not scored a goal since Game 5 of the Minnesota series. That is an eight-game goalless drought for him. They will need him to do more with that Vegas offence so good. Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, Tyler Seguin, and Jame Been have stepped up. But they need more from Robertson.

And of course back in 2020 that was when the world was introduced to Miro Heiskanen. Heiskanen is one of the best defensemen in the series. Offensively and defensively so gifted and he drives a lot of the play for Dallas in both zones.

This will be a fun series to watch. Either Vegas is going back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2018 or it will be the Stars third trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

The action gets underway Friday night May 19th at 8:30 pm in Vegas.