The NHL’s Western Conference Final is set.
On Friday night, the Colorado Avalanche eliminated the St. Louis Blues to claim the second spot in the West finale. Their opponent will be the Edmonton Oilers, who defeated the Calgary Flames in five games.
To start with just the teams, this series will feature two franchises that have enjoyed very little playoff success in recent seasons. For that reason, the matchup will be intriguing simply because we get to see two new teams take part in this Conference Final.
Of course, the storylines run much deeper than that. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers have been on a torrid pace, averaging over two points per game so far in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With 26 points apiece, the Oilers’ MVPs have Edmonton looking like a team that will not be stopped this postseason.
The Oilers and Avalanche are set for a thrilling Western Conference Final.
On the other side, Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon has had numerous playoff outbursts, including his Game 5 hat trick against the Blues. Finally, the work of him and his teammates has led to a berth in the NHL’s final four.
Colorado has arguably the deepest roster of any team in the league this season, so whether it’s MacKinnon, Cale Makar, or one of the other immensely talented skaters for the Avs, this team is set to put on a show in the third round.
The Oilers and Avalanche met three times in the regular season. Colorado won two of those matchups, and both Avs wins required overtime. If we can get a balanced series like that in the postseason, the Western Conference Final will be nothing short of spectacular.
For years, we got Sidney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin in the Eastern Conference and the Chicago Blackhawks versus the Los Angeles Kings in the West. Here’s to hoping that MacKinnon and the Avalanche versus McDavid and the Oilers can be just as fun and long-lasting.
Game 1 between Edmonton and Colorado is slated for Tuesday, May 31 at 8:00 PM in Denver with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line.