On Thursday, the Edmonton Oilers got off to a fantastic start in the 2024 Western Conference Finals, winning in dramatic overtime fashion and stealing home ice away from the Dallas Stars. But the work is far from done – they need three more wins to advance. They’ll focus on just one for now, as they return to American Airlines Center for tonight’s Game 2.
Bet on Stars vs. Oilers GM 2
The moneyline favourites are the Stars, coming in between -135 and -143.
Stars vs. Oilers Best Odds
| Stars Moneyline Odds | -135 @ Sports Interaction |
| Oilers Moneyline Odds | +123 @ Pinnacle |
| Puckline odds | Oilers +1.5 (-210) @ Bet99 Stars -1.5 (+191) @ Pinnacle |
| Series odds | Oilers -190, Stars +160 @ Bet365 |
| Total | Over 6.0 goals (+105) @ Pinnacle Under 6.0 goals (-118) @ Pinnacle |
| Time/Date | May 25, 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports Stream: Sportsnet+ (How to watch the NHL in Canada?) |
Last Matchup
The pendulum swung a couple of times in Game 1, with the Oilers asserting themselves early in the second period. Leon Draisaitl continued his run of dominance with his ninth goal of the playoffs in the opening minute of the frame, and Zach Hyman followed him a little over three minutes later. The multi-goal lead didn’t last long, however, as Tyler Seguin halved the gap two minutes after Hyman’s tally.
Seguin returned to haunt the Oilers with three minutes remaining in regulation, scoring his second goal of the game to tie it up. After a scoreless first overtime, Connor McDavid sent the Oilers back to their hotels happy with his third goal of the playoffs, securing the win.
Betting Dallas Stars (8-6 SU, 5-9 ATS, 5-9 o/u)
The Stars are feeling the heat now, having fumbled home-ice advantage at a crucial time. Giving up the back-to-back goals to start off the game was a hole that they were able to patch but never fully push past, and not converting on the powerplay also came back to haunt them.
Still, there was reason to be positive for the Stars. Tyler Seguin was fantastic, combining two goals with excellence at the faceoff dot and about two-thirds controls of the shot quality. Jake Oettinger put up a great performance in goal, stopping 35 of 38. Not to mention, losing Game 1 hasn’t been a problem for the Stars this far – they fell behind against both Vegas and Colorado. If there’s a team that can shake this off, it’s them.
Betting Edmonton Oilers (9-4 SU, 4-9 ATS, 7-6 o/u)
Overtime was nearly a nightmare scenario for its hero. Connor McDavid eventually rose to the moment in the fifth period, but not before taking a crucial penalty at the start of the first overtime, high-sticking Matt Duchene seventeen seconds in. McDavid received a double minor and could only watch with dread from the box.
“It was long. Really long. Really, really long,” McDavid said after the game “Miserable. I hated every second of it. But the guys did an amazing job. The penalty kill has just been amazing.” Edmonton’s penalty kill ranks first in these playoffs with a 92.5% success rate, with no moment bigger than Thursday’s.
McDavid also missed out on a breakaway attempt against Jake Oettinger later in the first overtime, sparking fears that he wouldn’t get it done. But it’s hard to discount the best player on the planet. Even in a run where he feels like he’s producing less than he can, his 1.77 points per game thus far rank fourth in the salary cap era among playoff runs lasting more than five games. Above him? Leon Draisaitl, Leon Draisaitl again, and himself.
Projected Stars vs. Oilers Lines
| Today’s Dallas Stars Lines | Today’s Edmonton Oilers Lines |
|---|---|
| Forwards Jason Robertson – Wyatt Johnson – Logan Stankoven Mason Marchment – Matt Duchene – Joe Pavelski Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Evgenii Dadonov Radek Faksa – Sam Steel – Craig Smith Defence Thomas Harley – Miro Heiskanen Esa Lindell – Chris Tanev Ryan Suter – Alex Petrovic Starting In Goal Jake Oettinger PO: 8-5-1, 2.10 GAA, 0.919 SV% Season: 35-14-4, 2.72 GAA, 0.905 SV% | Forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Zach Hyman Dylan Holloway – Leon Draisaitl – Evander Kane Warren Foegele – Ryan McLeod – Derek Ryan Mattias Janmark – Sam Carrick – Connor Brown Defence Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard Darnell Nurse – Vincent Desharnais Brett Kulak – Cody Ceci Starting In Goal Stuart Skinner PO: 8-2-1, 2.70 GAA, 0.888 SV% Season: 36-16-5, 2.62 GAA, 0.905 SV% |
As of this moment, neither team has given up much in terms of their lineup changes. The Stars have said that Roope Hintz is a game-time decision, which could provide a big jolt to their forward group.
Jason Robertson to score a goal
Stars vs. Oilers Injury Concerns
According to Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch, Adam Henrique is “98%” – healthy enough to play but would benefit from just a bit more rest.
The Stars are still without Jani Hakanpaa and Roope Hintz, though the latter might draw in tonight.
NHL Betting Trends
- The Oilers and Stars have split their last ten games between each other, dating back to November 2021. The puckline is also a 5-5 split in that time, and the total goals line has leaned towards the over, with six overs and four unders.
- Edmonton is 7-3 in their last ten games but are just 2-8 against the puckline. They’ve cleared the total goals line four times in nine games.
- Dallas is 6-4 in their last ten, with a 4-6 record against the puckline. They’ve had seven unders and three overs on total goals in that stretch.
NHL Player Prop Trends
- Leon Draisaitl leads the Oilers with eighteen points in their last ten games. He shares the goals lead with Zach Hyman (6) and the assists lead with Connor McDavid (12). Hyman leads the team in shots on goal in that time with 39.
- Evan Bouchard has been a weapon on the blue line, putting up five goals, eleven assists, and 32 shots on goal in Edmonton’s last ten games.
- Tyler Seguin’s efforts in Game 1 make him Dallas’ highest scorer in their last ten games, with a team-leading five goals, eight points, and 34 shots on goal. Jason Robertson leads the team in assists with eight.
Stars vs. Oilers Predictions
- It’s McDrai until it’s not right now. For McDavid, your best value on 2+ points is on Sports Interaction at +110, and your best value for a goal is +170 on FanDuel.
- For Draisaitl, the best value for a goal is +150 on FanDuel, and the best value on two points is on theScore Bet at +135.
- On the Dallas side, I like Jason Robertson to light the lamp. He’s been a little light on the goals side lately and that feels bound to change. You can find him for a goal on bet99 at +250.
