Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport

Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars Game 1: Western Conference Playoffs – First Round

The defending champions Vegas Golden Knights are starting their playoffs tonight at the American Airlines Center against the top seed in the West, the Dallas Stars.

Are the Golden Knights legit contenders this season?

The Vegas Golden Knights barely made it to the playoffs, finishing in eighth place in the Western Conference with a 45-29-8 record. After winning three consecutive games, they finished the regular season with a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The Golden Knights are ranked 12th in the league, allowing 2.96 goals per game, and are two spots lower, scoring 3.21. Jonathan Marchessault leads the team with 69 points, followed by Jack Eichel with 68.

The Dallas Stars look scary

The Dallas Stars finished on top of the Western Conference with a 52-21-9 record, only one point shy of the New York Rangers for the best record in the league. The Stars won four of their last five games and are coming off a 2-1 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues. Dallas is third in the league, scoring 3.59 goals per game, and is ranked eighth, allowing 2.83. Jason Robertson is the best player on the team with 80 points, followed by Joe Pavelski with 67.

Betting Trends

The Stars have won 12 of their last 14 games overall. They are 15-2 SU in the last 17 games against teams from the Western Conference and 10-0 SU in the last ten games against teams from the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights are 4-8 SU in the last 12 games on the road and 5-1 SU in the last six games against teams from the Central Division.

Prediction and Conclusion

This is the matchup between the first and eighth seeds in the Western Conference, but it may be much more interesting than their regular season standings show. The Golden Knights have been among the top teams in the league ever since they joined the NHL, and last season they went all the way to winning the Stanley Cup. Anyway, they do not look like the same team, as they barely made it to the playoffs. The Dallas Stars, on the other hand, were playing pretty well all year long, and they picked up their form in the last month of the regular season to clinch the top seed in the conference. It is a fact that the Stars are in much better form, and that should be enough to open the series with a home win over the defending champs.