Predators vs. Stars Odds
| Predators Odds | +100 |
| Stars Odds | -120 |
| Over/Under | 6 |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
It's not too often these days that we see the Nashville Predators at plus-money. That's where they sit as of Tuesday afternoon, as they prepare to get back to work after the All-Star break on Wednesday against a Dallas Stars team that's 12 points behind them in the Central Division standings.
And it's not like the Predators have been slumping. In their last five games before All-Star weekend, they went 4-0-1. They also have an impressive road record of 14-7-4 so far this season.
At 15-6-1, Dallas has been very good at American Airlines Center, but the Stars won just one out of three in their last homestand, right before the break.
Nashville's line for Wednesday's game opened at +118 and has already shifted downward. Here's why you should think about hopping on the Preds as soon as you can.
Predators Looking to Pick Up Where They Left Off
The Predators have been one of the NHL's feel-good stories this season. Springboarding off a surprising berth in the 2021 playoffs, they're now even better.
It starts with elite goaltending from Juuse Saros then fans out through the roster. There's the white-hot top line of Filip Forsberg, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene. There's All-Star defenseman Roman Josi having another Norris Trophy-caliber season. There's even rookie power forward Tanner Jeannot, who's bringing so much gusto to his game that he's forcing his teammates to amp up their own energy levels just to keep pace with him.
The sum of those parts: a strong power play, a 13th-ranked Expected Goals share at 5-on-5 (51.34%), and Saros sitting fourth in the NHL with 19.3 Goals Saved Above Expected.
And did I mention that Nashville was on a 4-0-1 tear before the All-Star break, covering the puck line in all four of its wins?
Can the Stars Get Quality Play in Net?
As for the Stars, their last game before the break was a third-period collapse. They failed to protect a 3-1 lead over the Calgary Flames, falling 4-3 in regulation with nothing to show for their efforts.
Some positive numbers: Dallas went 5-2-0 in its last seven games, scoring five goals or more in four of those wins. The Stars' power play is on par with the Predators — both teams are just over 25%.
And while big-ticket players like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin haven't been producing to a level that matches their lofty salaries, ageless Joe Pavelski and sophomore Jason Robertson have both been lightning the lamp with regularity. Also, Roope Hintz has just hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career.
Robertson missed practice on Tuesday, reportedly with an eye infection, but he is expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday.
Not so good for the Stars: penalty killing, which is eighth-worst in the league at just 76%. And goaltending has been inconsistent. Both Braden Holtby and Jake Oettinger have had highs and lows, which averages out to near-neutral Goals Saved Above Expected in both their cases. On any given night, it's hard to know what the Dallas keepers will bring.
Predators-Stars Pick
Wednesday's game will be the second meeting of the year between the Predators and Stars; Nashville skated away from the American Airlines Center with a 4-2 win back in early November.
Based on their overall performance this season and the way they've been trending recently, it seems highly plausible that we could see a similar result this time around.
That being said, it's hockey — a sport with plenty of random moments and enough parity where nearly any team can win on any given night.
Nevertheless, when Nashville is a road underdog, bettors would be well advised to take notice. There's great value in grabbing the Preds on the moneyline for Wednesday's game.
Pick: Nashville +100 | play down to -115.
