Two teams are on the doorstep of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
The Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes have advanced to the conference final round of the NHL playoffs.
The Oilers, last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, are back in the Western Conference Final as they eye the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Connor McDavid and Co. dropped their first two games of this postseason, but have only suffered one loss since.
Edmonton, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, overcame a 2-0 first-round series deficit against the No. 2 Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback wins before taking down the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights in five games. McDavid and co-star Leon Draisaitl have combined for eight goals and 25 assists across 11 playoff contests.
The West final could be a rematch from last year, when the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars in six games. Dallas currently holds a 3-2 second-round series lead over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are making their second Eastern Conference Final appearance in three years. Carolina, the Metro Division’s No. 2 seed, needed just five games to bounce both the No. 3 New Jersey Devils and the East-leading Washington Capitals. Frederik Andersen has been stellar between the pipes for Carolina, boasting a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in nine playoff starts.
Now, the Hurricanes need to get past either the defending champion Florida Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to reach their first Cup Final since the franchise’s lone championship triumph in 2006. Florida has a 3-2 series edge over Toronto after losing the first two games.
So, when will the conference finals start and who has home-ice advantage? Here’s what to know:
When do the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Finals start?
The NHL hasn’t yet announced when the conference finals will get underway. This story will be updated as schedule details emerge.
For what it’s worth, the final second-round game that’s currently scheduled is a possible Game 7 between the Jets and Stars on Monday, May 19.
What are the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Final matchups?
- Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes vs. winner of Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs
- Western Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers vs. winner of Dallas Stars-Winnipeg Jets
Who has home-ice advantage in the Eastern, Western Conference Finals?
The team with the superior regular-season record gets home-ice advantage in the conference final round.
The Oilers won’t have home-ice regardless of opponent, as both the Jets and Stars finished ahead of them in the standings. The Hurricanes will have home-ice advantage if they face the Panthers, but will start the conference final on the road should they see the Leafs.
Read the full article here