Knights vs Stars Game Four Betting Preview: Stars Better Align Quick
Vegas Takes Soul From Stars After Game Three Beatdown
Our Knights vs Stars betting preview starts with a look at the current odds for what could be the final game in the series. Dallas opened as a -125 home favorite in the ultimate must-win situation. There are some books that have them as a -130 favorite or more but there are still plenty of lower numbers available if you like the Stars. The total sits at 5.5, with the number shaded under at some places. If Pete DeBoer’s team can manage to cover the puck line (-1.5) you’ll get back +202 with Dallas, while you’ll have to give up -250 (+ 1.5) with the Golden Knights. Let’s continue our Knights vs Stars betting preview with a look at both teams followed by our game four prediction.
Knights Discipline Frustrates Stars
Vegas has the correct combination of ingredients to hoist their first Stanley Cup. First, the starting goaltending has been incredible with Adin Hill between the post after not playing in a playoff game his entire career. Instead of General Manager Kelly McCrimmon scurrying to find a replacement for the injured Robin Lehner and Logan Thompson, the 5th-year GM assembled an embarrassment of riches after five different goaltenders gave the Knights wins in 22-23.
Adin Hill, who started the season as a third or fourth-string goaltender depending on how you viewed Laurent Brossoit, guided Vegas to a 4-0 game-three victory behind a 34-save performance by Hill. VGK is within one win of their second Stanley Cup appearance in six years. In addition to Hill, you have to give credit to Bruce Cassidy whose team never seems to lose their cool, and they could have plenty of times last night.
Stars captain Jamie Benn thought it would be a good idea, down 3-0 in the series, to push his stick into the neck of Mark Stone while Stone was face-first on the ice.
That forced Dallas to kill off an early major penalty while paving the way for the Knight’s three first-period goals in the game’s first 7:10. The least penalized team in the league made Dallas pay for their lack of discipline. Between goaltending, discipline, and depth, this version of the Golden Knights seems destined to make another appearance in the final.
Stay Classy Dallas
No matter what you say about how well the Golden Knights played, the real story is how the Dallas Stars and some of their fans reacted to adversity. We’ve documented the Benn and Stone tussle, but it’s also worth noting that when a fan base is left to throw popcorn on goaltenders or garbage on the ice all hope is lost.
If this were a regular season game, bettors would look at the NHL scores today and notice that the Stars may be a good go-against team because they’re displaying classic tendencies of a team that you don’t want your money behind. Remember this next year. When a team is desperate for a win after a losing streak and the players or coach start losing their cool on the ice, you know this may be a team without an answer.
There is one final card that DeBoer may still have and that’s the good ole’ locker room tirade but you need to have your team’s attention for that to be effective. That was an issue when in Vegas and it could be in Dallas. Benn will likely not play in game four and it’s inconceivable that the Stars wouldn’t start Scott Wedgewood in net. Either way, the Knights have the Stars’ playoff souls firmly in their hands.
Dallas Hopes to catch Vegas Napping
There is one final piece of the betting puzzle that Dallas fans can lean on, and that is called the big shake-up or the no-way factor. Basically, it’s bettors saying there’s no way the Stars can win without a backup goaltender.
We will say this, we thought the number would be around -115 or less for game four, but the oddsmakers clearly feel like Dallas has something left. Perhaps it’s the fact that the Stars did finish just three points behind Vegas in the NHL standings this season or they understand how hard it is for one team to sweep another.
Vegas will win this series, we’re going to beg Scott Wedgewood to stand on his head as the likely starter for one game. Pete DeBoer better pull out the most magical speech he’s ever had for game four even though it won’t matter overall. With shaky hands on the keyboard, we predict Dallas will take game four. That does it for our Knights vs Stars betting preview, all the best in game four.
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