Previewing the Stars-Oilers playoff series

My pal Bob Sturm joins me for a conversation heading into Round 3 of the postseason.

Just like Round 1 and 2, we are previewing Round 3 of the Stars postseason in a chat with my pal Bob Sturm.

You probably already read Bob’s work, but if you haven’t, I highly suggest Sturm Stack for any DFW sports fan

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Bob: The NHL playoff field continues to shrink and now with only four teams left, the Stars find themselves lined up with their 3rd consecutive scary opponent. Of course, if a team makes it to Round 3, they are - by definition - scary enough, but Edmonton has been an oddsmaker darling for several years in a row and maybe this is their time, too. 

I am certainly one who frequently claims that every team that makes the final four of their tournament begins to believe they are a team of destiny. The funny thing about that is that three are objectively incorrect and will be proven to be soon. We think the Stars are on a Cup run, but the odds still suggest they will not succeed.

But, Han Solo tells us to never tell him the odds and I might agree. I think they can win this whole thing.

But, I am a Stars ticket holder and probably a certified homer, so let’s bring back - for his third straight round – our editor and hockey brain who runs the very successful Shap Shots (which will dig deeper than I ever would) Sean Shapiro to chop up this preview with the Oilers.

Sean, welcome back and I hope you are well rested. Let’s get this cooking as I ask you this: Is Edmonton close to the team that almost set the NHL record for consecutive wins back in Super Bowl week when I saw them in Las Vegas? How good have the Oilers been in these playoffs as they have taken out Los Angeles and Vancouver? 

Sean: It’s been nice to have a couple nights to actually sleep and get ready for the Western Conference Final after the every-other-day marathon against the Avalanche. 

I’m not trying to sell over confidence here, but the Oilers are the weakest opponent of the three the Stars have faced thus far. Vegas was a better team, so were the Avalanche. You and I talked back before Round 1 about the Stars path, how they were the monster everyone else is afraid of, and they’ve proven it through the first two rounds.