After dropping Game 1 in double overtime, the Dallas Stars will look to bounce back tonight when they play host to the Minnesota Wild for Game 2.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Minnesota Wild (+126) vs. Dallas Stars (-152) Total: 5.5 (O+100, U-122)Game 1 saw plenty of dramatics in this matchup, which eventually saw Ryan Hartman score the double-overtime winner for the Wild to take a 1-0 series lead on the road. There are a lot of similarities between these two hockey teams, and they played like it in Game 1. Goaltending and defensive prowess are strengths of both these teams, and that was on full display, which we once again expect to transpire in this Game 2.
The Stars outshot the Wild 53-48 in Game 1, and they’re once again listed as the home favorite on the moneyline tonight at -152, while the Wild are sitting at +126. Minnesota was a strong road team during the regular season, while the Stars didn’t see a big difference in their play from home to the road.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup for tonight’s Game 2, the Wild are expected to start Filip Gustavsson, while the Stars will counter with Jake Oettinger. Both goaltenders were exceptional in Game 1, with Gustavsson ultimately picking up the victory after stopping 51-of-53 shots, while Oettinger wasn’t far off and saved 45-of-48 shots. The goalies have the potential to be the big storyline in this matchup, and we’re expecting them to continue putting up world-class numbers.
Dallas looked like the better team in Game 1, but the result didn’t appear on the scoreboard. These teams are relatively evenly matched, and that was reflected heading into this series. Dallas will do enough good things in this matchup and get another outstanding performance from Oettinger to get on the board in this series.
Best Bet: Stars moneyline (-152)
The first matchup saw these teams combine to score five goals. The total for tonight’s is set at 5.5, with the over priced at +100, while the under is at -122. Goaltending and defensive play is a specialty for these teams, and there’s value here in that transpiring again tonight. Sure, there’s offensive talent on both Dallas and Minnesota, but the focus will be on which team can play to their strengths. With that, it’s hard to envision a scenario where these two teams are trading chances for 60 minutes, meaning there’s serious value in backing the under 5.5 at -122.
Best Bet: Under 5.5 (-122)
Dallas is a very top-heavy roster in terms of their overall goal-scoring tendencies, and we saw that in Game 1 with the players that ultimately found the scoresheet. One Dallas forward that plays a reliable two-way game and has game-breaking talent on offense is Roope Hintz. He opened the scoring for Dallas on the powerplay in Game 1 and provided exactly the type of presence we’re looking for to target again tonight at home in Game 2. Hintz is listed at +210 to find the back of the net tonight, and that number has a lot of value.
Best Prop: Roope Hintz to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+210)
