There are several different paths to the playoffs in the NHL, but as long as they lead to the postseason, the road they take really isn’t that important. Some teams will come storming out the gate and keep the lead from the off, while others will take a little time to get going. The latter path means needing to get hot at the end of the season, which can actually work to the advantage of those teams, as they often enter the postseason on a hot streak and a pretty huge wave of momentum. We saw that with a couple of teams last season, the most successful of which was the St. Louis Blues, who rode that wave all the way to a Stanley Cup. Another team that was a huge surprise in the playoffs was the Carolina Hurricanes, who made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final before falling to the Bruins. They are in a battle for their playoff lives right now and need a win in this one to keep pace with the pack. The Hurricanes head to Dallas as a 1 ½ point dog, with the point total for this one set at 5 ½. Let’s see how the NHL betting odds will be for the Hurricanes vs Stars.
Hurricanes vs Stars 2020 NHL Betting Lines & Game Preview
- When: Tuesday, January 11 at 8:30 PM EST
- Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
- Radio: Carolina / Dallas
- TV: ESPN+
- NHL Odds: Dallas Stars -1.5 / Total: 5.5
Why bet on the Carolina Hurricanes
While the Carolina Hurricanes are coming off an absolutely fantastic season, fans only really care about what is being delivered now. As it stands, the Hurricanes are going to need another strong finish to the season. Their season has not been awful, but at 32-20-3 and 67 points, they are falling off the pace in the race to the playoff line in what is a very strong Eastern Conference. The good news is that they are in a manageable situation, sitting just 2 points back of the final Wild Card spot, but they will want to get above that playoff line sooner rather than later. They are in the process of making a move at the moment, winning back to back games and going 5-4-1 in their last 10. On the road, the Hurricanes are 14-11-2, while going 17-5-2 versus teams from the West.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.27
- Shots: 33.15
- PP/PK Percentage: 22.02
- Goals: 2.78
- Shots: 29.2
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.01
Why bet on the Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are sitting in a very good spot in the Central Division, lying in 3rd place, just 3 points back of the Colorado Avalanche in second. Perhaps more importantly, though, they have a nice little cushion over the chasing pack, somewhat reducing the risk of them getting pulled back into the Wild Card race. The Stars defense is among the best in the business this season, which is a good thing when you consider that they are well down the pack in terms of offense. That is obvious in the O/U record, which currently sits at 19-34-2. The Stars are 16-9-2 at home this season and have been dominant there against Carolina, winning 9 of the last 11 home ice meetings. They have also been strong against the East, going 10-5 SU in the last 15 games against them.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.67
- Shots: 30.56
- PP/PK Percentage: 19.51
- Goals: 2.56
- Shots: 31.6
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.13
Hurricanes vs Stars NHL Betting Trends
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Carolina’s last 5 games.
- Carolina are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games.
- Carolina are 6-12 SU in their last 18 games against Dallas.
- The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Dallas’ last 14 games at home.
- Dallas are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against Carolina.
- Dallas are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games against an opponent in the East conference.
Hurricanes vs Stars Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
Neither of these teams are what you would describe as offensively explosive, so do not expect a flood of goals. I like the Stars to win on home ice, covering the spread in the process.
Carolina Hurricanes 1 Dallas Stars 3
