Game 6 of what has quietly become a compelling Western Conference Final will take place Monday night in Dallas. The Stars are -130 favorites to even the series. If they pull it off, they'll head to Vegas with the chance to become the first NHL team to come back from three down in either of the final two rounds.
Check out my same-game parlay for Knights vs. Stars Game 6 below, which includes picks for each team to lose by one or fewer goals, plus Jamie Benn, Mark Stone and Roope Hintz prop bets.
Same Game Parlay: Golden Knights vs. Stars Game 6
The Parlay (+700 bet365)
- Neither Team to win by Two or More (Stars +1.5, Knights +1.5) & Game Total Under 8.5
- Jamie Benn Over 1.5 Shots on Goal
- Roope Hintz Over 2.5 Shots on Goal
- Mark Stone Over 2.5 Shots on Goal
Neither Team to win by Two or More (Stars +1.5, Knights +1.5) & Game Total Under 8.5
Tonight should be another closely-fought contest where mistakes will be hard to come by. It seems unlikely either team pulls away in this spot — this game will be a nail-biter through and through.
Vegas was not at its best last time out and will likely bring a sharper performance on the road in Game 6. Coach Bruce Cassidy raised some eyebrows after disparaging the team's 24 giveaways in Game 5, but it certainly is a fair notion. We should expect the Knights to play a sharp and structured team game here. I do not see Dallas pulling away.
That said, Jake Oettinger has found his rhythm over the last two games, stopping 64-of-68 shots faced and earning a +1.13 goals saved above expected rating. His team has insulated him with strong defensive play and we should not expect anything to come easily for the Knights offensively tonight.
Playing for a regulation tie at significantly longer odds could be another way to approach this idea, as we do have to fade an empty net being hit to cash this wager. Getting extra odds for the under 8.5 makes sense.
A 4-4 tie is the only realistic scoreline where we would lose the pair of +1.5s on, so I will happily take a longer number to add the under 8.5 with the kind of game script we are targeting.
Jamie Benn Over 1.5 Shots on Goal
Stars captain Jamie Benn will make his return from what was essentially a three-game suspension tonight. His foolish major penalty early in Game 3 was a key reason Dallas lost and he will look to make amends in this matchup.
The situation should call for some extra jump in Benn's step. At this stage of the postseason, a three-game absence likely gives him a leg up on everybody else who has grinded through grueling matchups. I do not expect Benn to want to walk much of a fine line on the physical side of things, but looking to get some shots on the net early could be a way to get into the game.
He has averaged 2.76 shots on goal per game this postseason. Betting on him to record two or more tonight is safe.
Roope Hintz Over 2.5 Shots on Goal
Roope Hintz continues to be a dominant force in all areas of the ice. He paces all playoff skaters with 24 points.
He has averaged 3.16 shots on goal this postseason and 3.4 shots in this five-game series. In the four elimination games Dallas has played, Hintz has put up 16 shots.
Mark Stone Over 2.5 Shots on Goal
It makes sense to count on a notable performance from Vegas captain Mark Stone in this crucial spot. He has been dominant all postseason. His play dictates that he should find a way to leave a mark on this game.
Betting over 0.5 points could be another strong option, but I feel that Stone recording two shots is a safe bet in this matchup.
