The Dallas Stars look to retake home-ice advantage against the Minnesota Wild Friday in Game 3 of their 1st-round series. Puck drop at Xcel Energy Center is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET (TBS). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Stars vs. Wild odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Series: Tied 1-1
The Stars lost C Joe Pavelski, who suffered a concussion from a nasty hit by D Matt Dumba in Game 1. Dallas fell 3-2 in double overtime in that one. The Stars countered Minnesota’s Game 1 body blow with a haymaker to the jaw in a 7-3 decisive win in Game 2. C Roope Hintz scored his 1st-career hat trick as he logged goals on the power play, penalty kill and at even strength.
Minnesota went to G Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 2, and he allowed 7 goals on 31 shots. The Wild will have to clean up their penalty kill as they’ve allowed Dallas to convert on 5 of 11 power plays in the series. LW Kirill Kaprizov will have to re-emerge for Minnesota to have a chance in this series. Dallas got under his skin and got him off his game in Game 2.