It’s the first time since 2003 that two NBA and NHL teams sharing the same building have reached the conference finals in the same year.
DALLAS — The epicenter of the sports world right now is Dallas, Texas.
The Dallas Mavericks punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals by defeating the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, 117-116, on Saturday night in a game that finished at 9:40 pm CST.
At 12:58 a.m., 20 hours and 42 minutes ago, the Dallas Stars had won 2-1 in overtime against the Colorado Avalanche to clinch the series in Game 6 and secure a spot in the Western Conference Finals.
The Stars and Mavs became the first NBA and NHL teams to play in the same arena and reach the conference finals in the same year since the New Jersey Devils and New Jersey Nets did so in 2003 while playing at Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Last year, the Florida Panthers and Miami Heat both reached their respective conference finals, but the Panthers played at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, while the Heat played at the Caseya Center in Miami.
The Mavs and Stars will now alternate seven-game series over two weeks starting Wednesday.
Here’s what the two-week sports frenzy will look like:
Mavs Game 1 | Wednesday, May 22, 7:30pm | Denver or Minneapolis
Stars Game 1 | Thursday, May 23, 7:30pm | American Airlines Center
Mavs Game 2 | Friday, May 24, 7:30pm | Denver or Minneapolis
Stars Game 2 | Saturday, May 25, 7pm | American Airlines Center
Mavs Game 3 | Sunday, May 26, 7pm | American Airlines Center
Stars Game 3 | Monday, May 27th, Location TBD | Vancouver or Edmonton
Mavs Game 4 | Tuesday, May 28, 7:30pm | American Airlines Center
Stars Game 4 | Wednesday, May 29th, Location TBD | Vancouver or Edmonton
Mavs Game 5 | Thursday, May 30, 7:30pm | Denver or Minneapolis*
Stars Game 5 | Friday, May 31st TBD | American Airlines Center *
Mavs Game 6 | Saturday, June 1, 7:30pm | American Airlines Center*
Stars Game 6 | Sunday, June 2 Location: TBA | Vancouver or Edmonton *
Mavs Game 7 | Monday, June 3, 7:30pm | Denver or Minneapolis*
Stars Game 7 | Tuesday, June 4, TBD | American Airlines Center *
Conference finals opponents for both the Mavs and Stars have yet to be determined. The defending champion Denver Nuggets will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 7 on Sunday. The winner of that game will host the Mavs in Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks will play Game 7 on Monday, with the winner of that game traveling to Dallas for Game 1 on May 22 and hosting Games 3, 4 and 6.
