DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars are looking to take the next step this year and reach the Stanley Cup Final after three straight seasons ending in the Western Conference Final.
The Minnesota Wild have the same goal, but for now they just want to win a series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015, ending a streak of eight consecutive first-round exits over the past 10 seasons.
The Stars and Wild have to go through each other to gain some traction on their path to June.
Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round is at American Airlines Center on Saturday.
"I sense it more from our group that it's another bingo ball in there; you just gotta get to the playoffs and you've got to get there and you've got to try again and learn from your mistakes, and then you've got to get there again and try again and learn again," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "It's not just going to happen the first time somebody makes the playoffs. It's very rare. So I don't feel that urgency with them, which is a good thing, but I feel more of that commitment with them that they're going to try to push this further. You've got to keep getting yourself to the dance and trying to keep learning and then keep pushing it further and one day you'll break through."
The Stars and Wild began occupying second and third place in the Central Division on Nov. 21. They jockeyed for position behind the Colorado Avalanche, but they remained in second and third place, regardless of order, for the rest of the regular season.
They are two of the eight teams that finished with 100 or more points this season.
"I think it's a battle of two really, really good teams," Stars forward Wyatt Johnston said. "All you have to do is look at the standings and see these are two of the better teams in the League. This is what you play for the whole regular season, to get into the playoffs and put yourself into an opportunity to succeed. I think it'll be an awesome series."
It's expected to be close.
The Stars and Wild split the four games they played, each winning two at home, including a pair of games played in the past month. Minnesota won 2-1 in overtime at Grand Casino Arena on March 21 and Dallas won 5-4 at American Airlines Center on April 9.
The Stars also won 5-2 at home on Oct. 14. The Wild won 5-2 at home on Dec. 11. In both cases, the winning team scored two empty-net goals to make it look like it was a blowout win when it was not.
"We match up well," Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. "Each game we've played against them it's been a tight playoff-type atmosphere. For us, just looking forward to the challenge. You want to give yourself a chance to win the Stanley Cup. We're excited."
Here are 3 things to watch in Game 1:
