The Calgary Flames (1-1) hit the road Saturday for their 1st-round Western Conference playoff series with the Dallas Stars (1-1). Puck drop at American Airlines Center is set for 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we look at the Flames vs. Stars odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.
Calgary captured the series opener Tuesday with a tightly contested 1-0 victory in a physical affair. However, despite the tight scoreline, Dallas only mustered 16 shots on goal.
The Stars evened the series with their own shutout in Game 2, although they were outshot again (29-23). The Stars opened the scoring with a C Joe Pavelski marker just 7:47 into the first period and added an empty-net goal to seal the 2-0 victory.
Flames at Stars odds and lines
- Money line: Flames -165 (bet $165 to win $100) | Stars +133 (bet $100 to win $133)
- Against the spread (ATS): Flames -1.5 (+170) | Stars +1.5 (-230)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: +120 | U: -150)
Flames at Stars projected goalies
Jacob Markstrom (37-15-9, 2.22 GAA, .922 SV%, 9 SO – regular season) vs Jake Oettinger (30-15-1, 2.53 GAA, .914 SV%, 1 SO – regular season)
Markstrom’s 9 shutouts led the NHL and he’s been lights out to start the postseason. He’s allowed just 1 goal on 38 shots through the first 2 games of the series and stopped 21 of 23 shots against the Stars April 21 in his penultimate start of the season, a 4-2 victory.
Oettinger posted 30 regular-season wins in his first season as the Stars starter, and he’s been solid through the first 2 games of this series with a shutout in Game 2 and just 1 goal allowed on 55 shots. He struggled in 2 starts against the Flames in the regular season with 7 goals allowed on 76 shots for a 3.56 GAA and .908 SV%.
Money line
The Stars have been very sharp through the first 2 games and should be able to keep pace in their return home for Game 3. There’s some value in DALLAS (+133) to win on home ice.
Against the spread
The Stars and Flames have met 5 times between the regular season and Games 1 and 2 of this series. Three of those 5 meetings have been 1-goal games, and the other 2 games have been 2-goal margins with late empty-netters.
There’s very little value in the insurance on Dallas +1.5 (-230). Even if the favorited Flames pull off the victory, there’s far from any guarantee it’s going to be by 2 or more goals.
AVOID.
Over/Under
With a Vezina-quality season from Markstrom, and Oettinger playing lights out in the series, it’s hard to back the Over 5.5 (+120) Saturday. These two teams have been playing tight, defensive hockey and the UNDER 5.5 (-150) is the only play here.
However, tread lightly with the heavy juice on a total that could get pushed Over with a late empty-net goal.
PASS altogether if the line drops to an even 5.
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