New Jersey Devils vs. Dallas Stars Prediction, Preview, and Odds

Once Upon A Time In Las Vegas - Championship Sunday

This should be an incredible matchup between two top-tier teams in the NHL this season, the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils. This is the second game between these cross-conference teams this season after the Stars got a 4-1 win in New Jersey on December 13th. The puck drops at 8:30 pm EST at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Red-hot Devils look to bounce back after last night’s loss in Nashville

The New Jersey Devils have played great hockey this season and are two points behind Carolina in second place in the Metro Division with a 31-13-4 record. They’ve won seven of their last nine games. Last night in an entertaining game they lost 6-4 in Nashville. They were outshot 41-39 and outplayed by an expected goal rate of 5.92-3.42.

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) January 27, 2023

New Jersey has been fantastic on both ends of the ice this season. They’ve scored an average of 3.47 goals per game, the sixth-most in the NHL, on an average of 34.4 shots per game. They’ve generated the sixth-most expected goals per 60 minutes (3.54) and the 15th-most high-danger shots in the league. The Devils’ power play has scored at a 21.4% rate. Young star Jack Hughes leads the Devils in scoring this season with 60 points, 30 goals, and 30 assists.

The Devils’ defense has been elite, allowing just the fourth-fewest goals in the NHL, an average of just 2.6 goals per game on an average of 28 shots allowed per game. They’ve given up only the fourth-fewest expected goals per 60 minutes (2.84) and the tenth-fewest high-danger shots. New Jersey has killed off penalties at an 81.5% rate, the eighth-best in the NHL. Vitek Vanecek is projected to start tonight and has been great this season with a 20-5-2 record, a 2.3 GAA, a .916 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Stars look to bounce back at home after two overtime losses

The Dallas Stars have been incredible this year, leading the Western Conference with a 28-13-9 record, picking up at least a point in each of their last four games. On Wednesday they lost their second overtime game in a row, losing 3-2 at home to the Hurricanes in a defensive battle. They were outshot 24-21 and outplayed by an expected goal rate of 2.27-1.39.

See y'all back here Friday.@Lexus | #TexasHockeypic.twitter.com/8L4wwMWZvE

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 26, 2023

Dallas has been very good on both ends of the ice this season as well. They’re averaging the ninth-most goals in the NHL, an average of 3.38 goals per game on an average of 31.9 shots per game. They’ve generated the twelfth-most expected goals per 60 minutes (3.34) and the fifth-most high-danger shots in the league. The Stars’ power play is the fifth-best in the NHL, scoring on 25.9% of their chances. Jason Robertson has been incredible this season and leads the Stars with 66 points, 33 goals, and 33 assists.

The Stars have been the second-best defensive team in the NHL this season behind just the Bruins, allowing an average of just 2.56 goals per game on an average of 30.9 shots allowed per game. They’ve given up the ninth-fewest expected goals per 60 minutes (2.92) and the 16th-fewest high-danger shots. Dallas has the third-best penalty kill in the NHL, killing penalties at an 83.7% rate. Jake Oettinger is projected to start tonight and has been great this year with a 21-7-5 record, a 2.24 GAA, a .924 save percentage, and four shutouts.

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I give the Stars an edge in this game at home tonight to get a win against the Devils and sweep the regular season series between these teams. Dallas won the first game 4-1 and I expect they get the job done again tonight with the Devils in the second half of a back-to-back. I think the fatigue sets in on New Jersey on the road to give Dallas the win. 

Take the Stars to get a win here at home.

Prediction: Stars ML (-136)

Full-Game Total Pick

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Both of these teams have trended under this season and I expect that to continue tonight as these teams face off. The first game between these teams stayed under with five total goals. The under in Stars games has gone 29-19-2 on the season and it’s gone 23-23-2 in Devils game. The defenses of both of these teams have been elite, ranking in the top four in fewest goals allowed in the league. Both goalies, Jake Oettinger and Vitek Vanecek have been great and should battle it out tonight.

Take the under here and expect a defensive tilt.