Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars 5/4/2023 Expert Picks, Previews and Analysis
West 2nd Round – Game 2, SEA leads series 1-0
Game One between the Seattle Kraken and the Dallas Stars was one for the books, as the Kraken emerged triumphant in overtime. The Kraken had already caused a stir by pulling off a surprise upset in the First Round, but they exceeded expectations by scoring five goals in this game, compared to their 18 goals in the previous round. Key players Jordan Eberle, Matthew Beniers, and Oliver Bjorkstrand contributed to two goals and two assists, with Yanni Gourde, Morgan Geekie, and Jaden Schwartz also making notable contributions, each scoring a goal and an assist. The defense also stepped up, with Vince Dunn, Justin Schultz, and Jamie Oleksiak chipping in with a goal and two assists from the point.
However, while the Kraken’s offense was firing on all cylinders, their defense struggled, allowing four goals after conceding only 19 in the First Round. Dunn, Schultz, and Oleksiak led the top two defensive pairings, but the rest of the defensemen found it difficult to contain the Stars’ offensive attacks. Even more concerning was the performance of goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who had been instrumental in the First Round but allowed four goals on 35 shots in this game.
- The total Stayed UNDER in 8 of Seattle’s last 10 games with a team in the Western Conference.
- The Seattle Kraken are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games against an opponent in the Central Division.
- The Kraken is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing as the underdog.
Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars 5/4/2023 Expert Picks, Previews and Analysis
The Stars showed their resilience in Game One, erasing a two-goal deficit in the third period with four goals, two of them in the dying minutes. Joe Pavelski was the star of the show with four goals, but he had plenty of help from his teammates. Max Domi, Jamie Benn, and Mason Marchment, who have been productive in the playoffs with four goals and 11 assists combined, set up five goals in Game One. Jani Hakanpaa and Miro Heiskanen also chipped in with two assists each from the back end to spark the offense. The defense, however, had a rough night in Game One, giving up five goals to the Kraken, four of them in the first period. Heiskanen, Hakanpaa, and Esa Lindell were solid on the top two pairings, but the rest of the defensemen had trouble shutting down Kraken’s offense, allowing them to get many shots on goal. Jake Oettinger also struggled in Game One, letting in five goals on 44 shots.
- Dallas are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games against an opponent in the Western Conference.
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Dallas’ last 11 games against an opponent in the Pacific Division.
- The total stayed UNDER in 8 of Dallas’ last 10 games played on a Thursday.
Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars. The NHL pick for this game is the Seattle Kraken. The Kraken will try to keep up their scoring pace in Game Two, but they also need to tighten up their defense to prevent the Stars from tying the series. The Stars, meanwhile, will look to use their home crowd to their advantage and level the series. It should be a thrilling game as both teams battle for the upper hand in this tight series. The Stars are desperate to avoid losing two games at home. The Stars are a big favorite at home for Thursday’s game. Joe Pavelski will likely have another big game for the Stars. The best bet is on the total in this game. I predict that the Stars will win but the over is the play 4-3.
NHL Starting Time: 9:30 PM ET
Location: American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX
Date: Thursday, May 4, 2023
TV: TNT
NHL Odds: Dallas Stars -200
NHL Totals: 5.5
