The playoff race in the Central Division has been tight all season long and it’s going to be a fun finish for all four playoff spots. The Dallas Stars host the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night in a game that is extremely important for both teams. Don’t forget to get the latest NHL news in our online sportsbook.
Carolina comes into this game with 68 points and currently sit atop the standings in the Central Division. The Hurricanes have gone 4-2 in their last six games and they just continue to find ways to win.
Dallas got off to a slow start but has been on a great run to get back in the playoff race. The Stars won five of their last six games and they are just two points behind Nashville for the fourth and final playoff spot. They also have two games in hand.
The NHL odds have the Carolina Hurricanes listed as the favorites at -125 in this road matchup with the Dallas Stars.
Hurricanes Dominant on Special Teams
The Carolina Hurricanes have dominated opponents all season, which has primarily been due to the strength of their special teams. Carolina is scoring 3.17 goals per game while giving up just 2.38 goals.
NHL teams have a goal of converting on close to 20 percent of their power-play chances, but Carolina has been much better than that. The Hurricanes score more than 27 percent of the time and they are tough to stop when they have the man advantage.
Sebastian Aho and Dougie Hamilton have been the two best offensive players for Carolina, but there is plenty of depth on this roster. Aho leads the team with 20 goals and Hamilton paces the Hurricanes with 31 assists.
Carolina wants to speed up the tempo in this game and use its depth to take control.
Stars Shutting Down Opponents
The Dallas Stars do not have an offense that can take over hockey games, but they know how to shut down their opponents. Dallas is giving up just 2.4 goals per game, but this will be a massive challenge against the Hurricanes.
Goaltender Anton Khubodin has been dominant in the blue paint for Dallas, stopping nearly 96 percent of all shots he has faced. The Stars have struggled a bit on the penalty kill, but they are solid when both teams are at even strength.
Dallas is scoring just 2.7 goals per game but the offense has come alive in recent weeks. Jakub Vrana just scored four goals in a recent win over the Detroit Red Wings, and there is some veteran talent on the team.
Center Joe Pavelski has a team-high 20 goals and 43 points, and he would love nothing more than to lead his team to the playoffs.
Carolina Cruises to Victory
Dallas just took three out of four games from Detroit, but that’s not exactly an accomplishment. The Stars are now facing a much better team and it will be much harder to slow down the Hurricanes.
Carolina has one of the most talented rosters in the NHL and it does all of the little things exceptionally well. The Hurricanes just have too much offensive talent and depth for the Stars and they should take control of this game in the third period.
Dallas has been on a remarkable run over the last few weeks, but the Stars just don’t have enough offense to win this game. When making your NHL bet, take the Carolina Hurricanes -130 over the Dallas Stars as the road team cruises to another win.
