Zach Hyman vs Jake Oettinger (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)EDMONTON – The time is finally here.
The Edmonton Oilers will play the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the 2025 Western Conference Final on Wednesday night.
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It’s been a week since the Oilers fed the Vegas Golden Knights their lunch money, in the form of a second consecutive shutout win. Now, they look to shut down the Stars in their barn.
To kick off game day coverage, here are some Game 1 Predictions.
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Oilers vs. Stars Lineup Predictions
-I’m expecting the Oilers to put Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl back together to kick off the series. I also wouldn't trust the morning skate lines, as things can (and do) change in between the morning and the warm-up skate.
-McDavid and Draisaitl have outscored the opposition 10-6 when together in the 2025 playoffs. McDavid without Draisaitl? They are outscored 2-4.
-Another reason to make this change is that they will be the away team. Loading up the top line would indicate that they want to have a “power vs power” matchup against the Stars’ Mikko Rantanen. Considering the depth that the Oilers have, this is a welcome challenge.
-If there is ever a low-risk time to give Jeff Skinner another game, it’s this one. If he comes into the lineup (and that's a big if), I’d put him with McDavid and Draisaitl.
-Jake Oettinger has allowed a lot of goals from in front of the net. Expect Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, and Corey Perry to be in his kitchen all night, wearing him down.
Defense Lineup Notes
-The Stars have the best powerplay of the four remaining teams (30.8 success rate).
-Watch for Evan Bouchard to play more shorthanded minutes. He played 3:32 on the penalty kill in Game 4. The Golden Knights had three powerplays and did not score on any of them.
-As long as everyone plays how Kris Knoblauch expects them too, I wouldn’t expect any shuffle in the pairings. If there is a shuffle, Troy Stecher likely gets the short end of the stick.
Game 1 Predictions vs The Stars
- Hyman comes out like a wrecking ball, throwing 10 hits and scoring two goals, one of them the game winner.
- McDavid comes out flying and scores the game's first goal.
- Stuart Skinner starts the game strong in the net. He gets an unfortunate goal scored on him in the second period, but he locks it down otherwise.
-Oilers defenders help him by limiting high-danger chances and keeping shots to the outside and medium range.
- Final Score Prediction: 3-1 Oilers
Where & When To Watch Oilers vs Stars Game 1
The game will be broadcast on Wednesday at 6:00 PM Mountain Time. Sportsnet, CBC, ESPN, and ESPN+ will carry the broadcast.
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