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 Player Prop Facts
- Jason Robertson has scored a goal in four of the Stars’ last five Game 5s of a playoff series.
- Jason Robertson has recorded at least one assist in each of the Stars’ last seven playoff games against Central Division opponents.
- Miro Heiskanen has recorded at least one point in each of the Stars’ last 11 playoff games against the Avalanche.
- Jason Robertson ranks 1st in the Western Conference for shootout goals (4) this season.
Colorado Avalanche Player Prop Facts
- Cale Makar has recorded at least one assist in 11 of the Avalanche’s last 12 road games against Western Conference opponents.
- Valeri Nichushkin has scored at least one goal in eight of his last nine playoff appearances.
- Valeri Nichushkin has recorded at least one point in each of the Avalanche’s last six road games.
- Nathan MacKinnon ranks 1st in the league for multi-point games (44) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Dallas Stars rank 3rd in the league for goals per game this season (3.59).
- The Dallas Stars are one of five teams to rank in the top 10 for both goals scored and goals conceded per game this season.
- The Colorado Avalanche rank 1st in the league for goals per game this season (3.68).
- The Colorado Avalanche rank 5th in the league in power play percentage this season (24.46%).
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.