Stars Desperate to Build Momentum
The Dallas Stars have let their foot off the gas pedal as of late as the regular season winds down. They lost to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, which marked their fourth defeat in their last six games.
Now the Stars will hit the road to face off with the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. The latest NHL news headlines show that the Blackhawks are again in a slump, this time losers of five straight. They are already looking toward the offseason.
Is Dallas the right play here or is there value with the underdog?
Dallas Hopes for Defensive Spark
This past six-game stretch has been slightly concerning for Dallas the Stars, particularly on the defensive end. It certainly appears that they’ve relaxed a bit on that end of the ice, an area where NHL betting handicappers saw this team excel throughout most of the season.
During this six-game span, they’ve allowed their opponents to score at least four goals in four of those contests. In total, they’ve allowed 24 goals across their last six matchups, averaging out to four goals a night.
For a team that allows 2.75 goals per game throughout the season, this stretch hasn’t been a great look. You can expect to see Jake Oettinger hit the net after Matt Murray got the nod in their previous game.
Oettinger’s numbers have dropped dramatically during March when compared to his February numbers. March has seen him go 7-2-1 with a 3.38 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage.
In February, those who bet online saw him go 3-1-3 with a 2.48 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Dallas hopes that Oettinger can find his rhythm once more before the playoffs start.
Nothing Going Well for Chicago
Problems have been popping up all over the place for the Blackhawks. Ever since the trade deadline that saw them give away longtime star Patrick Kane and leading points scorer Max Domi, Chicago has been pitiful at both ends.
Coming into this game, the Blackhawks lost five straight and none of those games were close. All but one of those contests saw their opponent score at least four goals.
Across this span, they’ve given up 22 goals. This is awfully similar to the defensive struggles that Dallas has seen in its last few matchups.
However, Chicago hasn’t been even remotely close in terms of its offense. The Blackhawks scored six goals in their last five games in total, averaging just over one per contest. It’s hard to back them on the NHL lines when that’s the case.
Stars vs Blackhawks Game Injuries
Stars vs Blackhawks Head-to-Head
These squads have met up three times already, with Dallas winning two of the three contests.
Stars vs Blackhawks Game Information
- Game: Stars (39-20-14) Blackhawks (24-43-6)
- Location: United Center, Chicago
- Day/Time: Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Stars vs Blackhawks Live stream: NHL.TV
Stars vs Blackhawks Betting Lines
Stars vs Blackhawks Picks and Prediction
The Stars are favored in the sportsbook but it’s nervous times betting them. They haven’t performed well defensively in these last six games. Still, they’re much more talented and the Blackhawks are brutal.
The question is, do you want to lay all of that juice? A better choice might be the over for your NHL picks. Both teams are struggling defensively. As long as the Blackhawks can chip in with a couple of goals, we should see an over.
Dallas is listed at -290 in our Vegas lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Stars, there’s a chance to win $34. Chicago is 240 with a chance to win $240 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Blackhawks a 29.41% chance to win, with the Stars at 74.36%
Stars vs Blackhawks Trends
Stars vs Blackhawks Edge
Stars vs Blackhawks Results
Stars vs Blackhawks Game Summary
