The Dallas Stars are looking to add to their lead atop the Central Division, while the Chicago Blackhawks will try and play spoiler tonight.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Chicago Blackhawks (+350) vs. Dallas Stars (-465) Total: 6 (O -112, U -108)The Dallas Stars’ expectations weren’t this high to begin the campaign, but they’ve established themselves as a legitimate Stanley Cup threat. At the other end of the spectrum, the Blackhawks are looking to rebuild their struggling franchise. They’ve done an excellent job of playing spoiler, but that might be difficult, considering the Stars are big home favorites on the moneyline at -465.
Even though the Stars lead the Central, they’ve been caught in a funk. They’ve posted a 3-2-5 record over their last ten and haven’t performed at their best. The Hawks are 5-4-1 over that same sample size and have won three in a row.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Blackhawks are expected to start Alex Stalock in net, while the Stars should do the same with Jake Oettinger. The Blackhawks netminder has a 6-6-1 record with a .918 save percentage, while Oettinger is 23-7-9 with a .926 save percentage. Even though the numbers are close, the Stars should have a sizable advantage in the net.
The Blackhawks are playing for a second consecutive night, so this is a perfect game for the Stars to get right. Look for Dallas to win this game by three goals on the puck line at +108.
Best Bet: Stars Puck Line -2.5 (+108)
These teams have already faced off once, which saw Dallas pick up a 6-4 victory. The Stars have fallen off offensively but still sit inside the top half in goals scored per game while also sitting second in goals allowed per game. Chicago is in the bottom third of the league in both categories. Over the Blackhawks’ last five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in three, while the Stars have seen that in none. It will be difficult for the Hawks to generate offense, meaning we like the value of the under six at -108.
Best Bet: Under six (-108)
The Stars are very top-heavy, with scoring depth being a problem. Joe Pavelski has carried a significant portion of the load and has produced big numbers as an aging veteran. Pavelski has 50 points in 57 games. This is a juicy matchup for the Stars that we’ve already seen them tally six goals in, so there’s value in backing Pavelski to score at +260.
Best Prop: Joe Pavelski to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+260)
