While all the playoff spots in the Western Conference have already been filled, we still need to figure out who will be playing who in the opening round of the postseason. The toughest road through the playoffs is almost certainly the one that the Wild Card teams are going to have to follow. This is particularly true for the #8 seed in the West, as they will need to start things out against the Calgary Flames, the only team in the West to have crossed the 100-point mark at this late stage of the season.
The Dallas Stars are in the first of the Wild card spots, which would mean that they would avoid the Flames if they can stay there. A win on Friday night on the road at the Chicago Blackhawks would ensure that they would not fall to the bottom of the seedings, and while they will still get a tough game in the opening round, it is one that will be more manageable. The Blackhawks are favored by 1 ½ on home ice, while the O/U for this one has been set at 6 ½.
Stars vs Blackhawks NHL Odds, Preview & Pick
Coach Colliton says Forsling and Koekkoek will play tonight against the Stars. Kampf is set to return to the lineup with Kruger sitting out. #CHIvsDAL pic.twitter.com/v5j7AGIsB2
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) 5 de abril de 2019
- When: Friday, April 5 at 8:30 PM EST
- Where: United Center, Chicago
- TV: ESPN+
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Odds: Chicago Blackhawks -115 (Total 6.5)
Why bet on the Dallas Stars?
The pressure is off the Dallas Stars coming into this one, as they already know that they will be playing beyond the end of the regular season. That said, they will still be going all out to ensure that they avoid meeting up with the number one seed in the conference, with a win here taking care of that. A win here is by no means a given, though, as Dallas has already lost 2 of 3 to the Blackhawks this season.
On the positive side of things, they have won in each of their last 3 visits to Chicago, and it has been the road team that has come up with the win in each of the last 4 meetings between these two. The Stars are 19-17-4 in road games this season and have gone 23-17 ATS away from home.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.58
- Shots: 30.49
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.48
Defense
- Goals: 2.45
- Shots: 31.67
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.52
Why bet on the Chicago Blackhawks?
The Chicago Blackhawks were one of the best teams in the league for a few years, picking up some Stanley Cup trophies along the way. They are pretty far removed from those banner years now, though, as they are currently sitting at the bottom of the Central Division.
Despite their lowly standing, they are still sitting above .500 for the season and have a winning record at home, where they are 18-14-8. They are a team that can score with the best of them, but they are a bit of a nightmare on the defensive side of the ice, surrendering 286 goals on the season. The Blackhawks come into this one having gone 4-3-3 in their last 10 games. At home, they are 20-20 ATS in home games.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.28
- Shots: 32.55
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.43
Defense
- Goals: 3.58
- Shots: 34.56
- PP/PK Percentage: 26.43
Stars vs Blackhawks NHL Betting Trends
- Dallas is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
- Dallas is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Dallas’s last 18 games on the road
- Chicago is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home
- Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Dallas
- The total has gone OVER in 15 of Chicago’s last 19 games at home
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Stars vs Blackhawks
There is a chance that the Dallas Stars may rest some guys ahead of this one, which could affect the overall outcome. I am still taking Dallas to get the win, but I’m not so sure they cover the spread.
Score: Dallas Stars 3 – Chicago Blackhawks 2
