2 Western Conference powerhouses are set to clash tonight as the Dallas Stars sitting at 41-19-2 take on the Edmonton Oilers with their 36-22-4 at Rogers Place.
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Both teams are among the top contenders in their divisions as well as the Western Conference, making this a must-watch battle with some serious playoff implications.
The Oilers are slight home favorites at -120 on the moneyline, while the Stars are sitting at +105 — nearly even. That doesn’t surprise us given the talent on both sides of the ice.
With two high-scoring offenses and solid goaltending, we think this matchup could go either way, but only one team can walk away with the 2 points for the standings. Who’s going to come out on top? We’ll have to look deep into their stats and recency to see who’s going to get the win.
The Stars have been the more consistent team. They’re sitting 2nd in the Central Division with 84 points just behind Winnipeg, while Edmonton is trying to chase down Vegas in the Pacific Division with 76 points. It’s a close race all around, but neither of these teams is in danger of missing the playoffs, they’re simply trying to get the #1 seed.
Dallas has won 4 of their last 5 including a strong 6-2 win over the Kings and a 6-3 victory over the Blues. Both of those teams shouldn’t be taken lightly. Their only loss came in a surprising 6-4 defeat to Columbus which was a close game all the way up to the end.
The Oilers, on the other hand, have been a little more inconsistent as they’ve lost 3 of their last 5 games. They fell to Anaheim, Florida, and Tampa Bay, all very good teams, but did secure wins against Montreal and Carolina. That just goes to show that they can get the job done, but they’re a bit more up and down.
Dallas also won the first meeting between these teams 4-1 in a blowout which just goes to show they can handle the Oilers' attack and find the back of the net.
The Oilers' offense is led by Leon Draisaitl, who has been dominant with 94 points spanning 46 goals and 48 assists. He’s the clear front-runner for the coveted Rocket Richard Trophy for the most goals in the season — and it’s not even close. He’s supported by Connor McDavid, known as the best hockey player in the world, who leads the team with 56 assists.
For the Stars, Jason Robertson is the main weapon. He’s posting 64 points across 27 goals and 37 assists. While that might not seem like a ton of points, keep in mind that the Stars have depth to their lineup. He’s complemented by Matt Duchene with 63 points and Wyatt Johnston with 59 points. You never know who will be shaking things up in the slot.
Sure, offense on both sides is fairly powerful, but we think that Goaltending could be the biggest factor in this game.
Jake Oettinger has been nothing less than stellar for Dallas, boasting a 2.42 GAA and a .911 save percentage. His consistency gives the Stars a strong edge between the pipes.
Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner hasn’t been as reliable but still decent, with a 2.84 GAA and a .898 save percentage. The Stars will look to exploit that weakness. If Skinner comes out and makes even the smallest of mistakes, you can bet that the Stars will take full advantage of that.
Dallas also holds the edge defensively, allowing just 2.57 goals per game, compared to Edmonton’s 2.92. The Stars’ penalty kill is also much stronger at 84.3%, which is one of the best in the NHL, while Edmonton sits at 75.7%, one of the lowest.
Dallas +105 is the best play here and it’s easy to see why once you dig into the numbers.
The Stars are simply the more well-rounded team, with a more reliable goalie in Oettinger and a deeper offensive attack.
Edmonton’s firepower is undeniable, but their defensive lapses and weaker goaltending give Dallas the edge. The odds are tilted in their favor mostly because they’re playing in Edmonton, where they’re really good, but let’s not forget that Dallas is solid on the road as well.
BettorsInsider Prediction: Stars 4, Oilers 3
Best Bet: Stars on the moneyline at -105
We’re expecting another strong showing from Robertson and company as the Stars pull off the road win. Either way, these are 2 really good teams with quite a bit on the line so we’re going to see an awesome hockey game tonight.
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