Sartori's prediction: Home ice gives Dallas the edge as it looks to eliminate Winnipeg in Game 6.
This article contains predictions for an old game!
The Dallas Stars return home tonight for Game 6 of their second-round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets.
After getting shut out 4-0 in Game 5, Dallas will be eager to respond with a statement performance on home ice. With a 3-2 series lead, my Jets vs. Stars predictions expect Mikko Rantanen & Co. to close out the series and punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final.
Find out more in my NHL picks for Saturday, May 18.
Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST from American Airlines Center in Dallas, with the game airing on Sportsnet and TNT.
The Winnipeg Jets kept their hopes alive with a commanding 4-0 win in Game 5, energized by the electric “White Out” crowd. Now they must take on the challenge of Game 6 on the road, where their play has been shaky and less reliable.
In my analysis below, I explain why the home-ice edge will be a deciding factor, giving the Dallas Stars the upper hand as they aim to close out the series and move on to the Western Conference Finals.
My Jets vs Stars pick: Stars moneyline (-150 at BET99)
Dallas has dominated at American Airlines Center this postseason. The Stars have won each of their past five home games, with an average winning margin of 2.4 goals.
It’s been a tough venue for opposing teams all season. At home, Dallas finished with a 28-10-3 record.
For the third time in this series, that advantage should be enough to separate these two competitive teams. While the Stars will face a tough challenge in goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, they should feel confident in Jake Oettinger’s ability to hold his own.
Oettinger is 7-4 over his past 11 starts with a .922 save percentage and 2.47 goals-against average.
Furthermore, these offenses are nearly identical. Both teams have comparable numbers in goals per game, shots on goal per game and shooting percentage.
On the defensive side, Dallas is expected to improve further as defenseman Miro Heiskanen continues ramping up since returning from injury. Heiskanen is arguably the team’s most valuable player, and if his ice time increases for a third consecutive game, he could be the difference-maker for the Stars to continue their dominance on home ice.
Stars moneyline
Mikko Rantanen to score
Roope Hintz Over 0.5 assists
If the Stars are to close out this series, they’ll need to generate offense. There’s no better candidate to do so than Mikko Rantanen, who leads all skaters this postseason in both goals and points.
Rantanen has scored nine goals over the past eight games.
Roope Hintz skates alongside Rantanen on both the first line and the top power-play unit. Hintz has assisted on four of those nine goals.
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Odds courtesy of BET99
Dallas has won each of its past five playoff games on home ice. Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Stars.
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Tony Sartori has written over 1,000 pieces of sports betting content across multiple different media outlets. He covers the NHL, UFC, PGA, NFL and MLB. Tony started part-time while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he went on to receive a B.A. in Economics and a certificate in Entrepreneurship in 2022. He continues to work full-time in the sports betting landscape.
Due to the variety of sports he covers, Tony is handicapping every day. If he had one piece of betting advice for a new sports bettor, it would be to strictly enforce bankroll management rules for yourself. If you set aside $10,000 for your betting bankroll, then you should generally only be betting between $100 – $500 per play.
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