The Vegas Golden Knights may have taken the first two games of the series, but don't count the Dallas Stars out just yet. As the series shifts to Dallas, the Stars are ready to shine in front of their home crowd and claw their way back into the NHL Western Conference Finals. With a 19-3-3 record following a loss with one day of rest, the Stars have shown their resilience, making Dallas a logical pick in this must win game.
In the first two games, the Golden Knights were able to squeak out OT victories getting out-shot just 64-61. While Vegas has been riding a hot streak, going 4-1 in their last five games, they have been out-shot in four of their past five, 173-140. That’s a red flag!
The Golden Knights may have taken the first two games in Vegas, but the friendly confines of the American Airlines Center have not been kind to them in recent history. Vegas has struggled in Big D, going just 1-4 in their last five meetings in Dallas. With the Stars desperate to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole, the home crowd will undoubtedly be a factor, giving Dallas an extra boost of energy and motivation.
One major key for the Stars in Game 3 will be the play of goaltender Jake Oettinger. Although his 2.83 GAA and .902 SV% in the playoffs might not be eye-popping, Oettinger has shown a knack for bouncing back after a loss, making him a potential game-changer for the Stars. If he can put together a stellar performance in net, Dallas has a great chance of turning the tide in this series.
Another aspect to consider is the special teams battle. The Stars have been faring exceptionally well in the power play during the postseason, with their success rate being the 5th-best among all teams. On the other hand, Golden Knights have had a relatively lower success rate of 17.1%, which ranks second last. Being on the road, Vegas is more likely to commit silly penalties.
The Stars own the third-best penalty kill unit (83.8%), while the GK are ranked second last at just 62.2% this postseason. Dallas already showed they can exploit the Vegas penalty kill in their series win against the Edmonton Oilers, who were scoring power play goals left and right. If the Stars can capitalize on their man-advantage opportunities, they'll have a serious edge in Game 3.
The Stars' offensive pressure, special teams edge, home-ice advantage, and Jake Oettinger's bounce-back ability make them a solid pick to get back into this series. It's a must-win game for Dallas, and history has shown they're a tough team to beat when the chips are down. The odds-makers agree, installing Dallas Stars -140 in this game even though they are down 0-2.
My Selection: Dallas Stars -140
Twitter: @JHSPORTSLINE
| Jeff Hochman | |
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