The Dallas Stars had an opportunity to punch their ticket to the NHL Western Conference Finals on Saturday, but the Seattle Kraken refused to be eliminated on home ice and forced a Game 7 with a 6-3 victory.
Now, we make our Kraken vs Stars pick for a potentially memorable Game 7 showdown. Both teams have had incredible moments in this series, but it will all come down to Monday. Kraken vs Stars odds have Dallas installed as a big favorite to advance.
Continue reading for my preview and Kraken vs Stars pick for Game 7 at the American Airlines Center.
Kraken vs Stars Odds
Seattle Kraken
Offensive depth was at the heart of Seattle's success during the regular season, and that's continued to be the lifeblood of this team in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Over the first six contests of this series, eight Kraken players have scored multiple goals, compared to five for Dallas. The standout among Seattle's forwards has been Jordan Eberle.
Eberle struggled in the first round against Colorado, providing a goal and three points in seven outings, but his production ballooned to five goals and eight points against Dallas. Eberle did particularly well in Game 6, collecting two goals and an assist.
He's one of Seattle's veteran leaders, but the Kraken are also getting support from 20-year-old Matthew Beniers. The first player Seattle ever drafted also had a quiet series against Colorado — one assist in seven appearances — only to step up in the second round with two goals and six points.
Seattle also has Jared McCann, who provided 40 goals and 70 points during the regular season. He missed six straight playoff contests — including the first three games of the second round — because of an undisclosed injury. After logging just 13:11 of ice time in his return, his role has grown over the last two contests, and he's provided a goal and two points in that span.
With all of those offensive weapons, it's understandable that even a netminder as successful as Dallas' Jake Oettinger has run into troubles — but Seattle has endured goalie problems of its own. Philipp Grubauer has a 3.78 GAA and an .865 save percentage in the second round. The 31-year-old left plenty to be desired in the regular season, too, posting a 2.85 GAA and an .895 save percentage in 39 outings.
The Kraken probably can't count on Grubauer to steal the show in Game 7, which means they'll have to get to Oettinger once again.
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Dallas Stars
Getting to Oettinger is no easy task, but it's one Seattle has proven to be up to thus far.
He has a 3.98 GAA and an .865 save percentage this series. On another team, Oettinger's performance might warrant a serious discussion about whether he'd play Game 7, but Dallas isn't likely to make a change, especially with a career backup in Scott Wedgewood as the alternative.
Oettinger will probably be sent out there again, and maybe he'll shine through. With so much on the line and given how good he is, I wouldn't rule out Oettinger having a standout performance despite his recent inconsistencies. But given what he's up against, he'll likely need significant support.
Joe Pavelski has been an absolute stud in this series, scoring eight goals and racking up nine points. The 38-year-old is running out of chances to finally win the Cup, and he should be one of the hungriest players on the ice on Monday.
Jason Robertson is another one to watch closely. He's registered five assists over his last three contests, so he's hot, but after scoring 46 goals in the regular season, he has just two markers in the playoffs and none over his last seven outings. That matches his longest goal drought from the 2022-23 campaign. Needless to say, this would be the perfect moment for him to end that slump.
The Stars have the benefit of home ice and experience, having reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2020. They are well equipped for the challenge ahead of them.
Kraken vs. Stars Pick
With the game in Dallas, the Stars' experience and the possibility of Oettinger bouncing back leads me to believe they have a slight edge. But if you just looked at the moneyline, you'd be left with the impression that the Stars are close to overwhelming favorites.
That leads to a low potential return from betting on Dallas, so I can't recommend going in that direction. In fact, the moneyline is so skewed that I'm tempted to recommend taking the Kraken. Even if I'd peg Seattle's chances of winning at about 45%, the possible payout makes up for the added risk.
If you're feeling daring, that's not a bad play, but I'm ultimately going to suggest something safer: Taking over 5.5 goals.
The payout is decent and given the strength of both offenses — not to mention how this series has gone scoring wise — I think its fair to believe we'll see six or more goals.
Pick: Over 5.5 (Play to -125) |
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