The Dallas Stars, boasting a record of 10-4-3, are set to face off against the Montreal Canadiens, who have a 10-4-2 record, on Thursday evening. The match will take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and the game available for streaming on ESPN+.
In their previous encounters this season, the teams currently share a 1-1 tie. The Stars recently secured a 3-2 overtime victory against the Ottawa Senators, marking their third consecutive win and fourth in five games. Right winger Mikko Rantanen was instrumental, scoring his ninth goal of the season, while left winger Jason Robertson contributed significantly with a goal and two assists. The Stars have exhibited strong performance on the road, holding a record of 5-1-2.
On the other hand, the Canadiens faced a disappointing match against the LA Kings, suffering a 5-1 loss despite taking an early lead with a goal from right winger Josh Anderson. The Canadiens, who have now lost three of their last four games, will be looking to bounce back at home, where they currently hold a 5-2-1 record.
Regarding betting odds, the Stars are positioned at +100 on the moneyline, indicating that a bet of $100 would yield an equal return, while the Canadiens are set at -120, suggesting a bet of $120 to win $100. The puck line sees the Stars at +1.5 (-250) and the Canadiens at -1.5 (+200). The total for the game is set at 6, with both teams having shown fluctuations in scoring trends recently.
In goal, Casey DeSmith will step in for the Stars, having held a serviceable record of 3-1-1 with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage. His last outing was commendable, as he managed to stop 30 of 31 shots against the Seattle Kraken. Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes will guard the net for the Canadiens. Although he has impressive statistics, he has struggled recently, allowing three or more goals in three consecutive games.
Sports analysts predict a high-scoring affair, favoring the Canadiens to edge out the Stars with a final score forecast of 5-3. A key factor for the Canadiens will be maintaining their strong power play, ranked fifth in the league, as the Stars tend to incur penalties frequently. Bettors might also consider Noah Dobson to have over 1.5 shots on goal, given his recent performance.
As the Stars and Canadiens prepare to clash, fans can expect an exciting matchup filled with potential fireworks on the ice.