The Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars meet Monday in NHL action from the American Airlines Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Stars vs Avalanche Prediction.
Series Recap
The Colorado Avalanche stole home ice and drew first blood in the series after picking up a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars in game one. The game was scoreless through 20 minutes before Artturi Lehkonen broke the deadlock for the Avs just before the midway point of the second period. Nathan MacKinnon doubled Colorado’s lead going into the third, before Roope Hintz got Dallas on the board on the power play early in the third. That was as close as the Stars would get though, as Devon Toews, MacKinnon and Charlie Coyle would score in a span of 4:07 late in the third, including goals from MacKinnon and Coyle 11 seconds apart to secure the series opening win.
Avalanche Looking To Take Big 2-0 Series Lead
Nathan MacKinnon has a team-high 116 points including 32 goals and a team-high 84 assists while Cale Makar has 92 points with 30 goals and 62 assists. Artturi Lehkonen also has 45 points with 27 goals while Devon Toews has 44 points with 34 assists as well. Mackenzie Blackwood is 22-12-3 with a 2.33 GAA and a .913 save percentage while Scott Wedgewood has gone 13-4-1 with a 1.99 GAA and a .917 save percentage in goal for Colorado on the year.
Why the Colorado Avalanche will win
- The Stars have lost each of their last eight games.
- The Avalanche have won each of their last five Game 2s of a Western Conference First Round series.
- The Stars have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last nine games following a loss.
- The road team has covered the puck line in each of the Avalanche’s last five games.
Colorado Avalanche Player Prop Facts
- Artturi Lehkonen has scored at least one goal in each of the Avalanche’s last five playoff games as road favorites against Western Conference opponents.
- Jonathan Drouin has recorded at least one point in each of his last nine appearances against the Stars.
- Jonathan Drouin has recorded at least one assist in each of his last six appearances against the Stars after playing less than 20 minutes in the Avalanche’s last game.
- Nathan MacKinnon ranks T1st in the league for Assists (84) this season.
Stars Trying To Salvage Win Heading To Colorado
Matt Duchene has 82 points including 30 goals along with 52 assists. Jason Robertson has 80 points with 35 goals and 45 assists while Roope Hintz has 67 points with 29 goals and Jamie Benn has 49 points with 16 goals and 33 assists. Wyatt Johnston also has 71 points with 33 goals and 38 assists as well on the year. Evgenii Dadonov’s added 40 points split between 20 goals and 20 assists and Thomas Harley has 50 points with 16 goals and 34 assists as well this year. In goal for Dallas, Jake Oettinger is 36-18-4 with a 2.59 GAA and a .909 save percentage while Casey DeSmith is 14-8-2 with a 2.63 GAA and a .913 save percentage this season.
Why the Dallas Stars will win
- The underdogs have won four of the Stars’ last five games at American Airlines Center.
- The Avalanche have lost five of their last seven games as road favorites against Central Division opponents.
- The Stars have covered the puck line in each of their last eight games against opponents on a winning streak.
- The Avalanche have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last seven Monday road games.
Dallas Stars Player Prop Facts
- Roope Hintz has scored a goal in four of the Stars’ last five games as home underdogs against Western Conference opponents.
- Roope Hintz has recorded at least one point in each of the Stars’ last seven games as home underdogs against Western Conference opponents.
- Jason Robertson has recorded at least one assist in eight of his last nine playoff appearances against Central Division opponents.
- Roope Hintz has scored two goals against the Avalanche this season – equal-most against any opponent.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Avalanche’s last seven road games against opponents on a losing streak have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Seven of the last eight games between the Avalanche and Stars at American Airlines Center have gone OVER the total goals line.
- Five of the last six night games between teams from the same division have gone OVER the total goals line.
Stars vs Avalanche Prediction
I’m on the Avalanche here. The Avalanche are an experienced and deep squad that can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the playoff field. I just have concerns with the Stars that the injuries and struggles that this team is currently dealing with is going to be too much to overcome. It’s hard enough to rally from a losing streak, but especially when you have to do so in a playoff series against an Avalanche team that knows what it takes to win at this point in the year. This makes it a tall task. I think the Avalanche take a big 2-0 series lead going back home, so give me Colorado in this one.