Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars Game 5: Western Conference Playoffs – First Round
The Dallas Stars are hosting the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the series at American Airlines Center on Wednesday.
Can the defending champions advance to the second round?
The Vegas Golden Knights barely made it to the playoffs, but then had a great start to the series, winning both of the two games on the road in Dallas. They had a chance to get only one step from the next round but could not convert in any of the two games at home in Vegas. The Golden Knights had the lead twice in Game 4 after Michael Amadio scored in the first and Jack Eichel in the second period, but that’s all they did by the end of the game.
The Stars came back in the series
The Dallas Stars finished on top of the Western Conference and came into the playoffs as the top seed, but found themselves 2-0 down after the first two games at home. After an overtime win in Game 3 to cut the deficit, the Stars played their best hockey in the next one to win 4-2 and tie the score in the series. Wyatt Johnston and Ty Dellandrea turned the game around in the second period to give the Stars a 3-2 lead after Evgenii Dadonov scored in the first one. Roope Hintz hit the empty net with just over a minute left in the game to seal the deal for the Stars.
Betting Trends
Vegas has won the last five games played in Dallas and 6 of the last 8 against the Stars overall. The Golden Knights are 5-2 SU in the last 7 games against teams from the Central Division. The Stars are 14-4 SU in the last 18 games overall and 16-4 SU in the last 20 games against teams from the Western Conference.
Prediction and Conclusion
This series looks like anything but a matchup between the top and the eighth seed. All four games so far in the series were won by the visiting team, which makes this game difficult to predict to a certain point. However, Dallas managed to bounce back after losing both home games and has completely regained momentum. Wyatt Johnston’s overtime goal in Game 3 was the turning point of the series, and since then, the Stars have gained momentum. Vegas has won the last five games played in Dallas, but it is time for that run to end. Dallas will show why they were the best team in the West in the regular season and will take a 3-2 series lead.
