Peaks and valleys to these long NHL seasons. Much like betting on baseball I choose to tail the hot and fade the cold. Simplistic approach but it proves beneficial year after year.
Dallas Stars are on one of those streaks you want to ride until they prove otherwise. 8-2 in their last ten. Averaging 3.3 GPG over that period they have climbed back into the playoff hunt. If they are to make the playoffs tonight’s opponent is one they must defeat. With Minnesota sitting just one point ahead of them tells me Dallas will show up for this game. The main concern I ever fear in predicting hockey games is my team taking the night off and coming out flat. I see zero chance of that happening here.
Much of Dallas’ recent success can be attributed to Kari Lehtonen. A notorious streaky goaltender he is certainly in the zone. Outside of a hiccup against the Oilers he has been solid recording a 6-1 record over his last 8 starts registering 2 shutouts.
Minnesota, playing their 5th game in 8 nights, is trending the other direction. The win over Toronto last night was only their second in eight games. What used to be their strength is now a weakness. You could always count on Minnesota to have strong goaltending and defense. Not so much anymore. They rank 21st in the league allowing 2.72 GPG. Not a promising statistic against the likes of Dallas’ 7th ranked offense.
In a league where 25% of the games go to OT Dallas is the exception. Of their last 26 games only 2 have gone extra innings. I don’t expect this one to be any different considering the Wild should have some tired legs in the third period.
Dallas -.5 (in regulation) +114
Dallas Stars are on one of those streaks you want to ride until they prove otherwise. 8-2 in their last ten. Averaging 3.3 GPG over that period they have climbed back into the playoff hunt. If they are to make the playoffs tonight’s opponent is one they must defeat. With Minnesota sitting just one point ahead of them tells me Dallas will show up for this game. The main concern I ever fear in predicting hockey games is my team taking the night off and coming out flat. I see zero chance of that happening here.
Much of Dallas’ recent success can be attributed to Kari Lehtonen. A notorious streaky goaltender he is certainly in the zone. Outside of a hiccup against the Oilers he has been solid recording a 6-1 record over his last 8 starts registering 2 shutouts.
Minnesota, playing their 5th game in 8 nights, is trending the other direction. The win over Toronto last night was only their second in eight games. What used to be their strength is now a weakness. You could always count on Minnesota to have strong goaltending and defense. Not so much anymore. They rank 21st in the league allowing 2.72 GPG. Not a promising statistic against the likes of Dallas’ 7th ranked offense.
In a league where 25% of the games go to OT Dallas is the exception. Of their last 26 games only 2 have gone extra innings. I don’t expect this one to be any different considering the Wild should have some tired legs in the third period.
Dallas -.5 (in regulation) +114
