What’s better than one overtime NHL playoff game? Two, of course! The Dallas Stars survived another thriller in Game 3 against the Colorado Avalanche as they took a 2-1 series lead on Thursday night, and they now look to take firm control during tonight’s Game 4.
Ahead of the 9:30 p.m. EST puck drop for tonight’s Avalanche vs. Stars matchup, here’s a prediction and best bet for the high-stakes Game 4.
Avalanche vs. Stars prediction, pick
On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Avalanche are -192 Moneyline favorites to win Game 4 on their home ice. They’re -1.5 on the puck line with +130 odds to cover. Conversely, the Stars come in as +160 underdogs on the Moneyline while they’re -162 favorites to cover the +1.5 spread.
This series has been truly electric thus far, to say the least. The Stars entered on an eight-game losing streak without their best defender and top goal scorer in the lineup due to injury. The 5-1 final of their Game 1 loss looked ugly, but that matchup was actually much closer through two and a half periods than the final score indicates. Dallas then bounced back with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2 to tie the series before stifling the Avalanche offense in a 2-1 Game 3 victory. When things look bleak, they’ve somehow found a way to win over the last two outings.
Still, Mackenzie Blackwood has played great hockey for the most part over this three-game playoff sample. For a goalie who’s never seen the ice in the postseason until this series, the netminder’s .923 SV% and 2.07 GAA look quite impressive. He’s pulled off some wild saves through the first few games and basically shut down the Stars’ offense in two of three contests. The over on his 24.5 saves line is worth checking out, especially at +100 odds tonight in Game 4.
