The Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets second-round playoff series continues tonight as American Airlines Center hosts Game 4 at 8 p.m. EST. Last time out, these teams dueled for two periods before the Stars blew the game wide open to take a 5-2 win — and a 2-1 advantage in the series.
In tonight’s Game 4, Dallas looks to keep the momentum rolling in front of a sea of green, especially as a top player likely makes their long-awaited return from injury. Here’s a Stars vs. Jets prediction and best bet for Game 4.
Stars vs. Jets Game 4 prediction, pick
The home-team Stars enter this contest as -155 favorites to win on the Moneyline with +164 odds to cover the -1.5 puck line. The Jets, meanwhile, hold +130 Moneyline odds on the road at -198 to cover at +1.5. As for the game’s total, DraftKings Sportsbook lists it at 5.5 combined goals with the over favored at -122 odds.
A controversial goal for Dallas off the skate of Alex Petrovic stole the headlines in Game 3, but whether the correct call was made didn’t matter in the end as the Stars scored twice more in a blowout victory. How they got there looked like more of the same — Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen continued his playoff heater with three points on a goal and two assists, while Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s save percentage continued to crumble with five goals allowed on 26 shots.
While the two sides appeared evenly matched through a large chunk of the game, Dallas pulled ahead and never looked back. Tonight, reinforcements are on the way, too. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen hasn’t played since January 28 due to a knee injury. However, after an activation from LTIR this afternoon, it seems he should play for the first time in almost four months. Heiskanen almost certainly won’t see his usual share of ice time after spending so long out of the lineup, but even his mere presence on the rink provides a massive boost to Dallas on both ends. Plus, the emotional bump of Heiskanen’s return after an extended absence should certainly energize the home crowd.
With Connor Hellebuyck’s .848 SV% and 3.51 GAA through 10 playoff appearances, the Jets’ defense remains vulnerable. Given the Stars’ momentum and Heiskanen’s impending comeback, taking Dallas to win in regulation looks good at +100.
Best bet: 60 Min Line: DAL Stars (+100)
