The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the third straight year, thanks in part to goalie Jake Oettinger. Oettinger made fantastic saves to help eliminate the Winnipeg Jets in the second round. Awaiting Dallas in the West Final are the Edmonton Oilers, who eliminated Dallas in the 2024 West Final. Oettinger is not looking for a repetition of fate this time around.

Oettinger spoke with the media before Game 1 on Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Stars goalie was asked about the team's failures in the West Final in the last two years. He acknowledged a lack of experience, but he does not believe this is a problem this time around. Instead, Oettinger told Edmonton that Dallas will put their best effort forward in this series.

“I think we've learned a lot the last two years,” Oettinger said, via NHL.com's Tracey Myers. “That's all we wanted after we lost last year is this opportunity. The fact that we get to play Edmonton again makes it even better.

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“The young guys, like [Thomas Harley], Wyatt [Johnston], [Jason Robertson], myself, the guys that hadn't had any experience, we have all the experience in the world now. It's up to us as a group to take that next step and I think we should feel great about what we've done with the adversity we've faced. I think our best hockey is yet to come.”

The Stars fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 West Final. Of course, they lost to the Oilers in six games last year. Vegas went on to win the Stanley Cup over the Florida Panthers in 2023. Meanwhile, the Oilers fell short against the Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Dallas has not won the Stanley Cup since 1999. They have not made the Stanley Cup Final since 2020, when they lost the Tampa Bay Lightning. Oettinger and the Stars have some demons to exercise in the postseason. This process begins on Wednesday night in Game 1 against the Oilers.