The Dallas Stars lost their sixth straight series opener Thursday and face the ominous prospect of going down 0-2 when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, and we have you covered with our Oilers vs. Stars Game 2 predictions based on the best NHL odds.
Something is slightly off with the Dallas Stars' home cooking, as they've lost five of eight contests at American Airlines Center, including the 3-2 overtime defeat to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. Those two meet again Saturday in Dallas, with puck drop set for 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
Despite improving to 5-2 on the road in the playoffs, the Oilers are consensus underdogs entering Game 2. With the second-longest Stanley Cup odds of the remaining teams, the Stars will be desperate to avoid losing the opening two games at home for the second time in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Here are our best Oilers vs. Stars predictions and NHL picks (odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Oilers vs. Stars Game 2 expert picks
- Wyatt Johnston Over 2.5 shots (-143 via Betway) ???
- Jamie Benn Over 0.5 points (-105 via Betway) ???
- Zach Hyman Over 3.5 shots (-110 via Betway) ????
- Dallas Stars ML (-140 via Betway) ????
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Oilers vs. Stars predictions for Saturday
It looks as though the Wyatt Johnston line has been tasked with lining up against Connor McDavid's trio. I wish the 21-year-old the best of luck with that matchup.
Peter DeBoer might switch th ings around after McDavid torched the Stars for a goal and an assist in the opener. While McDavid accomplished almost obligatory McDavid things in Game 1 – which is probably the reason you can't find him as a prop option in numerous Betway categories – Johnston can nearly keep up with the Oilers' captain, accelerating like Max Verstappen out of a Monaco Grand Prix hairpin turn.
He'll need to utilize that breakneck pace to go on the offensive in Game 2. The youngster has at least three shots on goal in eight of 14 playoff contests, including three of the last four. He also leads the team with seven goals, and you'll know he'll be amped considering how he goes to town on smelling salts, as seen in the Twitter footage above.
The -143 odds imply a 58.85% probability, and a $10 bet will pay a profit of $6.99 if it hits.
Best odds: -143 via Betway
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Benn was an intermittent force in Game 1, setting up Tyler Seguin on the Stars' opener and creating havoc around Stuart Skinner's goal.
Like most of his teammates, he disappeared for a large portion of the third period and, akin to a locomotive carrying far too much cargo, took a while to get going. He should be much better from the opening puck drop on Saturday, lifting the feel-good vibes for this prop.
Expect Benn to lead by example and acquit himself with the desperation required after losing the first game at home. He has at least a point in eight of 14 contests, including the last two. He got on the scoresheet in four of six games against the Colorado Avalanche and is rounding into top form at the most meaningful time.
The -105 odds at Betway imply a 51.22% probability and pay a profit of $9.52 on a winning $10 bet.
Best odds: -105 via Betway
Hyman is starting to benefit from consistently firing the puck. He has at least four shots on goal in the last three contests and seven of the previous nine. After going four games without a goal, he has netted in three straight tilts.
I don't expect the Oilers to fire a ton of shots on Jake Oettinger in Game 2, but Hyman usually finds a way to make his presence felt, primarily due to McDavid feeding him more than a zookeeper feeding a full-grown elephant. Betway's -110 odds represent a 52.38% probability, and a $10 bet pays a profit of $9.09 if it hits.
Best odds: -110 via Betway
The Stars can ill-afford trailing 0-2 heading to Edmonton for Game 3. They did exactly that against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round, winning Games 3 and 4 in Vegas to spearhead the comeback. However, the Oilers represent an entirely more fierce and imposing bea st at home.
Dallas dropped to 3-5 at American Airlines Center after the Game 1 loss, and it's hard to imagine this group falling to 3-6. Expect a fiercely desperate team in Game 2 that doesn't have to be jarred awake after conceding two goals in less than four minutes.
The Stars had more expected goals than the Oilers in Game 1 but were thwarted by Skinner's best outing of the playoffs. I don't expect Skinner to stand on his head again. Contrastingly, Oettinger conceded a weak goal against Hyman early in the second. He won't make that same mistake twice.
A $10 bet will pay a profit of $7.14 on a winning $10 bet. The odds imply a 58.33% probability.
Best odds: -140 via Betway
Oilers vs. Stars Game 2 info & odds
- When: Saturday, May 25
- Puck drop: 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Americ an Airlines Center (Dallas)
- How to watch: TNT, Sportsnet
- Favorite: Stars (-140 via Betway)
Oiles-Stars predictions made Friday at noon ET.
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