The Detroit Red Wings (21-20-4) and the Dallas Stars (28-16-1) meet Sunday at American Airlines Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Red Wings vs. Starsodds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: First meeting; Stars won 2-0 in 2023-24
The Stars not only swept last season’s series, but Dallas has picked up 7 consecutive wins since April 24, 2021. The Over has cashed in 3 in a row, and 5 of the past 6 meetings.
Dallas was doubled up by the Colorado Avalanche 6-3 on Saturday, as G Casey DeSmith was roughed up. That’s the bad news. The good news is that G Jake Oettinger will be available to start Sunday. The Stars are just 1-3-0 in the past 4 outings. The Over (6) cashed in Saturday’s game in Denver, ending a 5-game Under run.
Detroit was just in Tampa Saturday night, suffering a 5-1 loss against the Lightning. Now, it has to hop on a plane and face the Stars in less than 24 hours. The Red Wings have dropped 2 of the past 3 games since rattling off 7 straight wins from Dec. 29-Jan. 12, which was the longest such streak since 2012.
With a push Saturday in Tampa, the Over is 4-0-1 in the past 5 games, while going 9-1-1 in the previous 11 outings, and 11-2-3 in the past 16 contests since Dec. 14.
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Red Wings at Stars odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:21 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Red Wings +195 (bet $100 to win $195) | Stars -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Red Wings +1.5 (-145) | Stars -1.5 (+120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Red Wings at Stars projected goalies
Alex Lyon (8-5-0, 2.71 GAA, .902 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Jake Oettinger (22-10-1, 2.30 GAA, .912 SV%, 1 SO)
Lyon is expected to get the starting nod after Cam Talbot was pulled after 2 periods in Tampa, coughing up 5 goals on just 16 shots. Lyon appeared Saturday, stopping all 6 shots he faced. These are the 2 goaltenders in Detroit after Ville Husso was sent down to Grand Rapids of the AHL this weekend.
Oettinger was a hard-luck loser last time out, conceding 2 goals on 23 shots in a 3-1 loss Thursday to the Montreal Canadiens. Despite that loss, he has a 5-1-0 record, 1.96 GAA and .923 SV% in 6 January starts.
Oettinger was 2-0-0 with a 3.51 GAA and .891 SV% in 2 starts against the Red Wings last season.
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Red Wings at Stars picks and predictions
Prediction
Stars 5, Red Wings 2
Moneyline
The Stars (-250) are quite expensive, costing you 2 1/2 times your potential return. That’s well above my personal limit of -180 for a standalone wager. Even if you were to toss Dallas into a multi-leg parlay, including it takes a lot of value out of your ticket.
AVOID.
Puck line/Against the spread
The STARS -1.5 (+120) are a strong play, even though Dallas is playing on no rest. It played in the afternoon, and it had a slightly shorter flight back from Denver, while also sleeping in their own beds, so the Stars have the advantage here.
The Red Wings +1.5 (-145) played in the evening in Tampa, and then had the charter flight over to the Metroplex. That’s a lot of travel in a tight window, and they get to face Oettinger, while using their backup goaltender. It’s set up for Dallas to roll.
Over/Under
OVER 6 (-105) is worth a play, as the Red Wings have been crushing it for bettors going high lately.
The total did push in Tampa, as Detroit scored just a single goal. But the Over is 4-0-1 in the past 5 games, while going high at a 9-1-1 clip in the past 11 outings.
For the Stars, though, the Over cashed in Colorado Saturday, but the Under is 5-1 in the past 6 games, and the total has gone low at a 6-1-2 clip in the past 9 starts for Oettinger, so be careful.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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