Game 3 was ugly as the Vegas Golden Knights lit up the Dallas Stars. The home team pulled Jake Oettinger and took out its frustrations physically, which could have just doomed Dallas. Now, the Stars face the Knights on the verge of elimination Thursday and could be without their team captain, Jamie Benn. Still, the NHL lines slightly favor Dallas to avoid a sweep.
You can’t do that.
Jamie Benn gets 5 and a boot from the game for this cross-check. pic.twitter.com/pzZk8zA061
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 24, 2023
Golden Knights Go for the Jugular
If the Golden Knights were not motivated enough to finish off Dallas, they should be now. Vegas saw Benn take out their captain, Mark Stone, in a dirty play that should see Benn suspended. Dallas’ captain has 3 goals and 11 points in the playoffs. He was once an Art Ross Trophy winner.
Other than Benn, Max Domi also got chippy. But the Knights, an experienced team filled with veterans, are not falling for Dallas’ desperate tactics. Vegas has the momentum and chased Oettinger. Scott Wedgewood is an inferior goaltender and Vegas averages over 3.7 goals per game.
Vegas improved to 5-2 in their last seven games as an underdog NHL picks. It has all but neutralized Dallas’s offense hence why two of their three games in this series have gone under the total. Whether Vegas will beat Dallas in a high-scoring game or continue to dampen their offense, the Knights should go for the kill.
The Stars Can’t Benn Over
With or without Benn, Dallas has no choice but to leave it all on the ice for Game 4. Dallas entered the series as the favorites to win per the NHL odds. But now it looks to do what only four other teams have done in the past: overcome a 3-0 deficit in a series.
Dallas will need either Oettinger or Wedgewood to match Adin Hill. As we predicted, Oettinger continued to get worse. He did not make it out for the first period for Game 3. But Wedgewood does not inspired much confidence either. In three appearances this postseason, he’s stopped just 25 of the 29 shots he’s faced (86.2 save percentage).
The Stars would have to play their best two-way hockey and minimize Vegas’s scoring chances. The Knights don’t need a lot as evidenced by their playoff-leading 5-on-5 shooting percentage. It’s tought to bet online on Dallas now seeing what it is up against.
Golden Knights vs Stars Game Injuries
Golden Knights vs Stars Head-to-Head
The total has gone under in these teams’ last five games in Dallas. Also, it has gone under in six of their last seven games against each other. Dallas has scored more than three goals just three times in its 23 games against Vegas.
Golden Knights vs Stars Game Information
- Game: Golden Knights (62-25-9) vs Stars (55-25-18)
- Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
- Day/Time: Thursday, May 25, 8:05 p.m. ET
- Golden Knights vs Stars Live stream: NHL.TV
Golden Knights vs Stars Betting Lines
Golden Knights vs Stars Picks and Prediction
Dallas just seems outmatched in this series against Vegas. The Stars’ offense has hit a wall and even Roope Hintz, the team’s MVP, has been held scoreless in his last two games. Vegas should complete the sweep as underdogs on the online gambling lines. The Knights are ready to make NHL news as they return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since their inaugural season.
Vegas is listed at +105 in our Vegas NHL lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Stars, you can win $105. Dallas is -125, offering a chance to win $80 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Vegas a 48.78% chance to win, with Dallas at 55.56%
Golden Knights vs Stars Trends
Golden Knights vs Stars Edge
Golden Knights vs Stars Results
Golden Knights vs Stars Game Summary
