Bet on the Stars to win Western Conference in lengthy series with the Oilers

The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers are two very different hockey teams. While the Stars are built on depth, the Oilers are in the Western Conference Finals because of their starpower.

The two contrasting styles should make for an entertaining series and the odds seem to reflect that notion. The Stars are currently -126 favorites to advance and are right around that number to win Game 1 on Thursday night.

It took the Oilers seven games to defeat a dogged, but depleted Vancouver Canucks team in Round 2 and that performance seemed to considerably cool off the hype that was building on Edmonton after it dismantled the Kings in Round 1.

And while it took every bit of seven games for Edmonton to dispatch the Canucks, who were down to their No. 3 goaltender, it wasn’t as if it was a lucky victory. The Oilers were the better team for the lion’s share of the best-of-7, but poor goaltending and some wasteful finishing put them behind the 8-ball in a few contests and they were not able to climb out of the hole.

The goaltending will still be a concern, but it did look like Stuart Skinner stabilized with decent showings in the last two games of the series against Vancouver. More importantly, Edmonton’s defensive form was terrific in that contest.

» READ MORE: Back the Stars to take Western Conference Finals series against Oilers

The Stars have had a much tougher path than the Oilers, but they’ve looked every bit a Stanley Cup contender ever since falling behind Vegas, 2-0, in the first round. Dallas’ scoring depth and defensive aptitude propelled it to a comeback against the Golden Knights and it pushed the Stars over the edge against the Colorado Avalanche in a six-game battle.

At full strength, the Stars don’t have any weaknesses. They have scoring talent, an all-world blueline and a terrific goaltender. The issue is that Dallas is not at full strength at the moment. Roope Hintz, the team’s No. 1 center, is likely out for Game 1 and his status for the entire series is in doubt. If Hintz is out, the Stars’ depth takes a hit and everyone in the lineup moves up a spot. It’s not a calamity, but it is a meaningful loss.

This series looks razor tight and the contrasting strengths should make for a back-and-forth battle. I think there’s value in backing the Stars to edge the Oilers.

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