:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72283426/1490489003.0.jpg "2023 NHL playoff bracket: Who will Stars face in the Western Conference Final?")
The Dallas Stars defeated the Seattle Kraken 2-1 in Game 7 of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night to advance to the Western Conference Final. Jake Oettinger made 21 saves and Roope Hintz scored for Dallas, which is back in the conference finals after advancing in 2020. The Kraken were in their second season in the NHL and made it to back-to-back Game 7s.
Who will Stars play in Western Conference Final?
The next opponent for the Stars is the Vegas Golden Knights, the No. 1 seed out of the Pacific, top seed overall in the West. The Golden Knights took down Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in the second round in six games with a 5-2 win on Sunday night. The Golden Knights are playing like the Kraken on steroids. Jack Eichel has 14 points to lead all scorers for Vegas in his first postseason action. Veterans like William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith have stepped up, three players who are familiar with the conference finals. Mark Stone has been able to return from injury to score five goals with seven assists in 11 games in the playoffs.