Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport

Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars Game 2: Western Conference Playoffs – First Round

The defending champions Vegas Golden Knights had a great start to the series against the top-seeded Dallas Stars and are heading with a lead in Game 2 at American Airlines Center on Wednesday.

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 but once the real deal started, they took Game 1 on the road. They took an early 2-0 lead after 12 minutes in the first period and took a 4-2 lead after a minute in the second one. They failed to score in the last 39 minutes of the game but with great defense, the Golden Knights held on to a 4-3 win. Four different players scored for the defending champions and Logan Thompson had 27 saves.

The Dallas Stars need to step up

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 but are already in trouble after losing the playoff opener. The Stars got goals from captain Jamie Benn, Jason Robertson, and Mason Marchment but after a slow start to the game, they failed to get back. The Stars are the third-best scoring team in the league averaging 3.59 goals per game.

Betting Trends

The Golden Knights have won the last five games against the Stars and five of the last six played in Dallas. Vegas is 4-1 SU in the last five games overall and 4-2 SU in the last six games against teams from the Western Conference. Dallas is 12-3 SU in the last 15 games overall and 15-3 SU in the last 18 games against teams from the Western Conference.

Prediction and Conclusion

The Dallas Stars had their best regular season but were lucky enough to face the defending champions in the opening playoff round. They came into the series after losing the last four games to the Golden Knights, and that series continued with a 4-3 Vegas win. Dallas has everything they need to turn things around, but Game 2 looks like a must-win game for them. Vegas will have no pressure tonight, but they are definitely aware that they can make a huge step forward to the second round if they win tonight. The Stars have played under the total point line in 8 of the last 10 games, and this one will see few goals, unlike Game 1. It will be a tough game that may go to overtime, but anyway, the Stars will tie the series tonight.