Avalanche vs. Stars Game 1 Prediction: Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds
After a gruelling seven-game series in Round 1, the Dallas Stars have a short turnaround to prepare for the Colorado Avalanche in Round 2 starting Tuesday Night. The Stars are -125 favourites to win on the NHL odds, with the total set at 6.0.
Avalanche vs. Stars NHL Betting Odds
After handling the Winnipeg Jets in Round 1 with four straight wins, the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche will now face the 2024 Central Division champs, the Dallas Stars, in the second round of the playoffs. This is the tightest series, but the NHL futures board has the Stars as a -125 favourite to take it. The likeliest outcome is the series going to six or seven games, both paying +200 and the favoured exact outcome is an even payout between Colorado 4-3 or Dallas 4-3 at +300.
The season series between the Central Division powerhouses was high-scoring with three of the four games hitting over their set total of 6.5 goals. After Colorado took the first three meetings, Dallas bounced back and took the fourth game in the final week and a half of the regular season.
In the first round against Winnipeg, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had two goals and seven assists. MacKinnon (+130) and Rantanen (+325) are the favourites to lead this second round series in points, but Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston looks like a good value pick at (+1600) after posting seven points in the opening round.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche have likely already played the craziest game we will see this postseason in their 7-6 Game 1 loss versus the Jets. Colorado turned around their defensive game after that blunder, smothering the Jets’ offence, allowing two or less goals in three of the final four games.
Colorado averaged 5.6 goals per game in their five-game first round series, scoring at a higher rate than any other team in the league through round one. Their top line of MacKinnon (nine points), Rantanen (nine points and Valeri Nichushkin (seven goals) tore the Jets apart, showing up on the scoresheet multiple times in each game.
The question mark for Colorado coming into the postseason was in goal with Alexandar Georgiev between the pipes. He likely did not do enough in the first round to prove otherwise, posting a 3.03 goals-against average, the highest mark to advance to this point.
Forwards Joel Kiviranta and Jonathan Drouin are travelling to Dallas but are still questionable for Game 1. Former Star Kiviranta played three games in the opening series, picking up a pair of assists, while Drouin has yet to suit up this postseason.
Coach Jared Bednar’s squad is looking for their second Cup in three seasons after an early exit in last year’s playoffs.
Dallas Stars
After falling behind 2-0 in Round 1 to the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas battled back and sealed the victory in front of their home crowd on Sunday night in Game 7. The first round was a hockey fan’s dream, with big hits, big goals and tight scores and might have geared the Stars for a long run this postseason.
For that long run to happen, Dallas has to get through the deadly offence of the Colorado Avalanche. The Stars shut down the Golden Knights for most of the first round, but they will face a different animal in Round 2, versus the league’s top defenceman and a top three forward.
Jake Oettinger will be a big part of shutting Colorado down and has proved he is up for the task after the opening round. Of the eight starting goalies left, he is third in GAA (1.95) and save percentage (.925) and is the only one to have appeared in seven games thus far. He is playing in his fourth playoffs with the Stars and in 35 career games has a 17-16 record with an impressive .918 save percentage.
Dallas had a reputation for getting goals throughout their entire lineup this season and have continued that through the playoffs. Ten different players scored in Round 1 and Wyatt Johnston led the way with four.
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