Vancouver Canucks vs. Dallas Stars Prediction, NHL Odds
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Edgar Chaput
On Saturday Vancouver faced the wrath of the league-leading Boston Bruins. Dallas found itself in a memorable contest against the Golden Knights, with Western Conference seeding ramifications on the line.
Dallas sits at -101 on the NHL odds puck line (-270 on the money line) and the over-under is tabulated at 6 goals.
Canucks vs. Stars NHL Betting Odds
These clubs have yet to meet this season. All three of their dates are condensed within a month. They see each other next on March 14, then a third and final time on the 25h of the same month. Last year these two squads were more evenly matched, yet it was the B.C.-based ensemble that earned the spoils in all three tilts.
Rick Rocchet’s side has navigated some rocky waters in the last month, from a coaching change to losing one of their best players via trade. The 3-7 win-loss record over the previous 10 outings arguably speaks to the turmoil afflicting them. Much ink has been spilled this season about the club’s porous goaltending. The last two contests – five total regulation goals conceded – have been the exception to the rule. Prior to that, they had gone eight in a row whilst allowing at least four per game.
A date with the Canucks might be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Dallas Stars. They still lead the Central Division, yet have somehow gone 3-7 in their last 10 contests. That speaks just as much about the club’s recent failings as it does the struggles of those rivals aspiring to grab the top spot. Of note, the Over has cashed in only once in the past 13 games.
Vancouver Canucks
Prospects were glum heading into Saturday night’s contest with the NHL-best Boston Bruins. Vancouver has experienced a patently mediocre campaign and has one of the worst goaltending units in the league.
Somehow the hosts kept themselves in the game for most of its duration. Even more unexpected was that it was courtesy of some stellar netminding by Arturs Silovs, who kept the Boston onslaught at bay. He repelled 32 of the 34 attempts fired in his direction, making one wonder if he is a better option for the future. All the same, the odds of the Canucks claiming the points were small, and while the contest remained close for much of the night, the Bruins capitalized on a couple of first period opportunities thanks to goals by Hampus Lindholm (seventh) and Brad Marchand (19). On a night when Vancouver had solid goaltending for once, Boston’s Linus Ullmark scored in an empty-net seal the deal 3-1.
Dallas Stars
If the Stars eventually finish in the first place in the Western Conference, they’ll look back to Saturday’s contest in Las Vegas as the game that helped them get over the hump.
They still trail the Golden Knights by two points, but it could have been five. Frankly, Dallas was 37 seconds away from being in that very position. In a wild, intense, bitter affair, Peter DeBoer’s men found the resolve required to grab a victory in enemy territory, against a great team, and with a lot on the line. The stats really do tell the story. 43 shots on goal for both teams, Vegas narrowly out-hitting Dallas 38-33, faceoffs 27-26 in Vegas’ favour, blocked shots 18-17 in Dallas’ favour, etc. When Jack Eichel slotted home his 20th on a slick, highlight-reel worthy goal at 15:23 of the third period, one got the sense that that was all she wrote. Not so. With their net empty, Dallas tied at 19:22 thanks to a wicked wrist shot from Roope Hintz (24th), who then scored the shootout winning goal, handing Dallas a memorable 3-2 win.
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