The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars meet Wednesday in Game 5 West Second Round NHL Playoffs action at the American Airlines Center. Here’s a Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction.

Colorado Avalanche Betting Preview

The Colorado Avalanche need a win to save their season and force a game 6 on Friday. The Avalanche are 3-2 on the road in these NHL playoffs. The Colorado Avalanche are averaging 4.11 goals per game and are scoring on 30.8 percent of their power play opportunities. Valeri Nichushkin leads Colorado with 9 goals, Cale Makar has 9 assists and Nathan MacKinnon has 39 shots on goal. Defensively, the Colorado Avalanche are allowing 3.56 goals per game and are killing 72 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Alexandar Georgiev has allowed 28 goals on 247 shots faced.

Dallas Stars Betting Preview

The Dallas Stars look to win the series and advance to their third conference finals in the last 5 years. The Stars are 3-3 at home in these NHL playoffs. The Dallas Stars are averaging 3 goals per game and are scoring on 30.8 percent of their power play opportunities. Wyatt Johnston leads Dallas with 7 goals, Miro Heiskanen has 8 assists and Tyler Seguin has 35 shots on goal. Defensively, the Dallas Stars are allowing 2.27 goals per game and are killing 77.3 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jake Oettinger has allowed 23 goals on 298 shots faced.

Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche Injury Report

The Dallas Stars will be without Jani Hakanpaa and Jerad Rosburg. Roope Hintz is questionable with an upper body injury. The Avalanche will continue to be without Logan O’Connor and Gabriel Landeskog. Devon Toews is questionable with an illness. The big news is Valeri Nichushkin being suspended for the rest of the season and at least 6 months overall. It’s a big loss for the Avs, as Nichushkin scored 9 goals this postseason, racking up 10 points and 24 shots. Nichushkin was averaging 22:30 time on the ice per game.

Why the Dallas Stars will win

• The Stars have won each of their last eight night games following a road win.
• The Avalanche have lost each of their last six games at American Airlines Center following a loss.
• The Avalanche have failed to cover the puck line in five of their last six games against opponents on a winning streak.
• The Stars have covered the puck line in four of their last five games against the Avalanche.
• The Stars have won the second period in each of their last six games following a road win.

Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction

I’ve given the Colorado Avalanche chances in this series, and I’ve been burned. The Stars have badly outplayed the Avs in the last 3 games, which includes outscoring them 14-5 during that span. It kind of feels like the Avalanche have checked out and just don’t have the horses to compete. Of course, it doesn’t help that Nichushkin is suspended, as he’s been a key part of Colorado’s success in the postseason. The Dallas Stars are set up nicely to advance to the western conference finals, and you could argue they should be bigger favorites. Give me Stars to advance.