The Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars are developing a fierce rivalry in the Western Conference playoffs. The teams have a history of intense matchups, including a Western Conference Final clash in 2020 and another last season. The Knights took Game 1 of their first-round series in Dallas, setting the stage for a competitive best-of-seven series.
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy believes the rivalry has the potential to become one of the top in the Western Conference. “I could see it becoming one of the top Western Conference rivalries,” Cassidy said. “It’s started already this year and it might happen again next year and the year after that.”
Dallas coach Pete DeBoer agrees that the rivalry is here to stay. “This is what playoff hockey does,” DeBoer said. “We’ve played each other a bunch, right? We know each other well. It’s pretty much the same thing going at it here. They know how good we are. We know how good they are. Now it just comes down to execution.”
The rivalry between the Knights and Stars has been fueled by emotional moments, such as Stars captain Jamie Benn’s two-game suspension for cross-checking Knights captain Mark Stone last postseason. Dallas center Tyler Seguin believes the controversy has only added to the intensity of the rivalry. “It’s one for sure now,” Seguin said. “I don’t think you would have thought about the bubble too much until they beat us last year. Maybe they’re feeling a certain way now this year. Just two great teams going at it. On paper, their roster has only gotten better since last season. It’s a huge challenge for us.”
The Knights and Stars rivalry is a testament to the passion and intensity of the NHL playoffs. With both teams possessing talented rosters and a strong fan base, this rivalry is sure to continue to captivate fans for years to come.
