The Calgary Flames look to break a five-game losing streak as they face the Dallas Stars. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Stars-Flames prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Dallas Stars come into the game at 5-1-1. The Stars bounced back from their first loss in regulation last time out. They faced the Columbus Blue Jackets in that game. The Stars scored 27 seconds into the game, but the Blue Jackets would score two more in the first to give them a 2-1 lead. Roope Hintz scored in the second, and then the Stars scored three more in the third to make huge leads. The Blue Jackets scored one more, but the Stars would win 5-3.
Meanwhile, the Flames are 2-6-1 on the year. They are currently on a five-game losing streak. Last time out, they played in the first outdoor game of the year. They faced the Edmonton Oilers in that game. Edmonton took a 3-1 lead in the first period. The Flames got one back on the power play in the second period. Still, the Oilers scored two more in the third period and would win 5-2.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Stars-Flames Odds
Dallas Stars: -130
Calgary Flames: +108
Over: 5.5 (-120)
Under: 5.5 (-102)
How to Watch Stars vs. Flames
Time: 8:30 PM ET/ 4:30 PM PT
TV:
Stream: FuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Stars Will Win
The top line of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski has been solid this year. Pavelski has scored three goals and three assists this year, with a goal and an assist on the power play. Robertson has struggled some this year. He is not shooting well with just one goal on 19 shots this year. Still, he has a goal and five assists this year. Meanwhile, Roope Hintz has three goals and three assists this year with one on the power play.
Meanwhile, Wyatt Johnston leads the team in points this year with seven. He has three goals and four assists on the season to lead the way. Jamie Benn is tied for second on the team in points this year. He has two goals this year with four assists. The Blue Line also contributes a lot. Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, and Ryan Suter have contributed well. Heiskanen has a goal and three assists. Harley has two goals and two assists this year. Finally, Suter has three assists this year.
The power play has been a major issue for the Stars this year. they have just two goals on the power play this year. They have not scored in the last four games, going 0-10 in their last four games. They are 30th this year in the NHL in converting power play, converting just 9.5 percent of their chances this year. Meanwhile, the penalty kill is one of the best in the NHL. They have killed 95.3 percent of the man-down chances this year. They have allowed just one power-play goal, which was also their only regulation loss this year.
The Stars will be sending Jake Oettinger to guard the net tonight. He is 4-0-1 this year with a 1.74 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. Last time out was the first time he was below a .930 save percentage and allowed more than two goals. He will look to bounce back in this one.
Why The Flames Will Win
The Flames are led by their top-line doing the heavy lifting. Andrew Mangiapane and Elias Lindholm are tied for the team lead in points this year. Mangiapane has three goals and three assists on the season with a power-play goal. Lindholm has two goals and four assists on the year, also giving him six points. He also has an assist on the power play. Finally, Jonathan Huberdeau has two goals and three assists this year. Still, he has a minus-ten rating on the field.
Beyond the top line, Noah Hanifin and Adam Ruzicka are the next on the team in points scored. Hanifin does his work from the Blue Line. He has four assists this year but has not scored on the season. Two of his assists come on the power play. Meanwhile, Ruzicka has two goals and two assists on the season, with both assists coming on the power play.
The power play has not been a big source of goals for the Flames this year. They are 20th in the NHL in converting on the power play, sitting at 15.6 percent and just five power-play goals. The Flames did score two last time out on the power play, but before that went on a streak of five games without one, and going 0-15. The penalty kill has been solid though. They have allowed just three goals when man down this year, and sit fourth in the NHL in PK percentage.
The Flames are expected to send Jacob Markstrom to guard the net tonight. He is 1-5-1 on the year with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Last time out, he allowed four goals on 32 shots, but before that, he had been solid. He allowed three or fewer goals in four straight games while being over .910 in save percentage in three of four games. Still, with just four goals of support in those four games, he lost all four of them. One of the games did go to a shootout, but he lost there as well.
Final Stars-Flames Prediction & Pick
The Stars and the Flames are both not good on the power play. At the same time, both teams are very good on the penalty kill. The power play will not make a difference in this game. Either will the goalie play. Both goalies have been solid this year, and while Jake Ottineger has been better, they are both good. The big issue is scoring opportunities. The Stars create a lot more scoring opportunities and convert on more of them. That will be the difference in this game. It will be a lower-scoring affair though. In the last five games Markstom has started, all of them have been at five goals or below.
Final Stars-Flames Prediction & Pick: Stars ML (-130) and under 5.5 (-102)