The first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs is finally complete. For the most part, it weeded out the weaker teams from the stronger teams, at least in the Eastern Conference. We saw two Game 7 in the first round, with Boston defeating Toronto again and the Dallas Stars knocking out the defending Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights.
The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is already underway. Each series in the East will be two games in before the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks drop the puck on Game 1. Dallas and Colorado will have played one game before this series gets going.
There is a lot to discuss, so let’s dive into the second-round preview for Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Preview
Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks
We know at least one second-round matchup in the Western Conference. It is an all-Canadian Matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Kings in five games. While the Canucks needed six games to beat the Nashville Predators. It is the first all-Canadian matchup in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2022, when the Oilers took on the Calgary Flames in Round 2.
The Canucks barely got to the second round. They hung on by playing defense and biding their time against the Predators, winning the third period in three of the six games. Especially Games 4 and 6 in Nashville. The Canucks had no business winning those games. However, if Vancouver is going to sit back and wait for the right time to strike, the Oiler’s offence, led by Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and Leon Draisaitl, will make them pay.
Stanley Cup Odds: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Odds: Eastern Conference Winner
FULL PRESS HOCKEY: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Odds: Western Conference Winner
Now the Canucks won all four meetings in the regular season against the Oilers. But as we have seen, the regular season statistics do not matter. Just ask the Winnipeg Jets, who won the regular season series against Colorado and lost in five games. The first three meetings of the season were when the Oilers were struggling. Yes, Vancouver beat them late in the season, but the Oilers are the better team in this series.
Look for goaltending to be a factor for both teams. Arturs Silovs was outstanding in Vancouver’s final three games, with Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith injured. Silovs had to make timely saves for Vancouver, but he will be under pressure with McDavid, Draisaitl and the rest of the Oilers offense.
Stuart Skinner was good for Edmonton, but he was not tested. However, he single-handedly won Game 4 against Los Angeles, but Vancouver has more firepower with J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes, and Elias Lindholm. So, this could be a high-scoring affair if Vancouver’s offense shows up.
Edmonton’s power play is lethal, and the Canucks will need to stay out of the box. The Kings penalty kill was not nonexistent in the series. You can’t expect the Oilers to be perfect on the power play again. It is possible, though. That thing is automatic. Edmonton’s penalty kill was not too shady, either. But the Kings did not shoot the puck enough. Vancouver’s power play does not have that problem.
All of Western Canada is looking forward to this series. There will be at least one Canadian team in the Conference Final.
More must-reads: