Tuesday night means hockey night across North America! On tonight’s 10-game schedule, the Dallas Stars hit the road looking to stop a recent skid. However, a strong Carolina Hurricanes squad stands in the way and will be looking for some revenge during Mikko Rantanen’s first game against the team he spurned.
Read on for a Stars vs. Hurricanes prediction and pick on DraftKings Sportsbook for Tuesday night’s game.
Stars vs. Hurricanes prediction, preview
Are the Stars for real this year? Prior to the holiday break, the answer likely would’ve been yes. Now, a five-game losing streak stops much of the momentum they had going, even if they’ve mustered points in three of those games as consolation. Still, they’re second in the Central Division with 58 points and have a goal differential of 29, third-best in the NHL. Dallas sits top-five in offense and defense with 3.40 GF and 2.71 GA/GP, and the lines are healthier than ever with the exceptions of Tyler Seguin and Lian Bichsel’s long-term injuries. Mikko Rantanen is the prince who was promised with a team-high 57 points, and he’s joined by a pair of 40-point stars in Jason Robertson (49) and Wyatt Johnston (47), each of whom boasts 24 and 22 goals apiece. Miro Heiskanen’s 36 points are fifth-most among defensemen, while Roope Hintz also has 32 himself. The power play remains one of the NHL’s best with a 29.1% rate, and a penalty kill with an 83.6% mark sits just outside the top-10 teams. Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith also form a formidable goalie tandem, so there aren’t any glaring weaknesses on the roster whatsoever.
As for the Hurricanes, well, they’re in a bit of a skid themselves. At 4-5-1 over their last 10 outings there are some ugly losses in that span after giving up five-plus goals in three of their last four games. However, this looks like a get-up spot against a Dallas team that’s not playing its best hockey and a familiar face in Rantanen, who was briefly a member of the Carolina roster last year but was shipped out after just a handful of games when he wouldn’t sign a contract extension. Carolina has 53 points and leads the Metropolitan Division with a +13 differential, but the team isn’t quite elite in most areas. The Canes are ninth in scoring with 3.26 GF/GP and 14th defensively with 3.00 GA/GP. Sebastian Aho’s 42 points are a team-high, while Andrei Svechnikov and offseason acquisition Nikolaj Ehlers have 31 apiece. Shayne Gostisbehere’s 29 points are tied with Seth Jarvis, though the latter remains on IR for the moment. While there’s talent here, special teams are still a concern with an 18.9% PP% and 79.7% PK%. In net, Brandon Bussi stands out as the better option amidst a poor campaign for Frederik Andersen.
Stars vs. Hurricanes pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Hurricanes as -130 home favorites on the Moneyline while the Stars come in at +110 odds on the road. Betting splits show 55% of straight bets in Carolina’s favor with 53% of wagers leaning over on the total of 6.5 combined goals.
These teams are inevitably tied together due to the Rantanen trade which shook the NHL landscape last March, sending Logan Stankoven and draft capital to the Canes in exchange for the then-disgruntled star. Both remain real postseason contenders in the upper echelon of teams with a chance to hoist the Cup, so feeling out the competition here could prove crucial in the long run. Plus, capturing some momentum feels more important than ever given the poor results in recent weeks — this kind of game can energize a team and provide a much-needed spark.
If Oettinger (2.62 GAA, .905 SV%) and Bussi (2.25 GAA, .906 SV%), we’re in for a nice battle between netminders as they ward off high-scoring offenses. Where things get interesting is in the styles of play. The Hurricanes average 32.1 shots per game with an aggressive forecheck whereas the Stars are more efficient with their modest 25.4 per contest, preferring to get calculated looks. Dallas boasts the NHL’s best shooting percentage at 13.4% and also outdoes its opponent defensively since Carolina sits last in blocks/60, so there are some underlying numbers that suggest success here. Plus, the visitors undoubtedly boast more top-end talent and Rantanen himself should be looking for revenge. With the edge in star power (especially with Jarvis still out) and better play on special teams, the Stars should overcome the circumstances on the road and get back on the right foot on Tuesday.
