The GIST: Only four teams are left competing for the Stanley Cup championship: the NY Rangers and Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference, and the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference. Let’s take a closer look.
Eastern Conference Final: The Madison Square Garden will be lit up when Game 1 kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. ET, marking the first playoff showdown between the Rangers and Panthers in nearly three decades.
Florida is seeking redemption after their Stanley Cup Final loss last year and will be counting on left winger Matthew Tkachuk and center Aleksander Barkov to lead them back to the finals.
Western Conference Final: Dallas has had a tough road to get here, defeating the defending champions Vegas Golden Knights and the high-scoring Colorado Avalanche. If Miro Heiskanen, the leading scorer in the postseason, continues his impressive performance on both offense and defense, Dallas will be a formidable opponent.
Standing in their way is the only Canadian team still in the running. Edmonton overcame a slow start to the season and is back in the conference final for the second time in three years, thanks to the stellar play of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. However, the Oilers will need consistent contributions from the entire team to end Canada’s 31-year Stanley Cup drought. Get ready for Game 1 tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. ET.
