The Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators meet Thursday in NHL action at the Bridgestone Arena.
The Dallas Stars need a win after losing five of their last eight games. The Dallas Stars are averaging 2.7 goals per game and are scoring on 22.3 percent of their power play opportunities. Denis Gurianov leads Dallas with 20 goals, Tyler Seguin has 33 assists and Alexander Radulov has 127 shots on goal. Defensively, the Dallas Stars are allowing 2.5 goals per game and are killing 80.4 percent of their opponents power plays. Ben Bishop has given up 98 goals on 1,236 shots faced and Anton Khudobin has allowed 60 goals on 850 shots. The Dallas Stars have allowed three or more goals in 11 of their last 20 games.
The Nashville Predators need a win after splitting their last six games. The Nashville Predators are averaging 3.1 goals per game and are scoring on 16.1 percent of their power play opportunities. Filip Forsberg leads Nashville with 18 goals, Roman Josi has 46 assists and Craig Smith has 175 shots on goal. Defensively, the Nashville Predators are allowing 3.2 goals per game and are killing 74.2 percent of their opponents power plays. Pekka Rinne has given up 105 goals on 1,004 shots faced and Juuse Saros has allowed 96 goals on 1,038 shots. The Nashville Predators have allowed three or more goals in 13 of their last 19 games.
The Stars are 7-2 in their last 9 Thursday games, 5-2 in their last 7 vs. a team with a losing record and 11-5 in their last 16 games as an underdog. The Predators are 4-0 in their last 4 Thursday games, 2-5 in their last 7 games playing on 1 days rest and 1-4 in their last 5 vs. Western Conference. The over is 4-1 in Stars last 5 road games. The under is 11-5 in Predators last 16 overall. The Stars are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Nashville and 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
The Dallas Stars have won each of the last five meetings against the Predators and are a team that's thrived in the underdog role for much of the season. The Nashville Predators usually play impressive hockey at home this time of year and they're showing signs of finally put things together. Still, the Stars in the underdog role has been too kind to us this season. I'll side with the trends and history, backing the Stars on the road with the slight plus money.