Home / NHL / Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars Picks - Goals Stay Scarce in Dallas
Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars Picks - Goals Stay Scarce in Dallas
- Boston are predicted to win a close, low-scoring game in Dallas.
- Both teams feature top-performing goaltenders, with under 5.5 total goals favored.
- David Pastrnak is expected to record four or more shots on goal.
Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars Picks
Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars Picks - Goals Stay Scarce in Dallas
My Bruins vs Stars prediction is a tight Boston win on Tuesday, with goals hard to come by and David Pastrnak leading the shot count.
The Boston Bruins visit the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center at 8 p.m. ET. Boston have won five straight and are 4-1 on the road, while Dallas are 4-3-1 and just 1-2 at home.
I'm backing the Bruins with the extra goal on the puck line. They've outscored opponents 25-8 during this run, and a Dallas team scoring 2.5 goals a game doesn't often pull away from anyone.
Under 5.5 goals is the bet I like most in this game. All eight of Dallas' games have finished with five or fewer goals, and Jeremy Swayman and Jake Oettinger are both stopping more than 93% of the shots they face.
Pastrnak is my shots play. He has 34 shots in nine games, four or more in four of his last six and a five-game point streak.
For more player bets, check out our Best NHL Props for tonight's hockey slate.
Key Stats and Trends
- Boston have won five straight and outscored opponents 25-8 in that run.
- All eight Dallas games have had five or fewer goals.
- Dallas are 1-2 at home and scoring 2.5 goals a game.
- Pastrnak has four or more shots in four of his last six games.
Bruins Form
Swayman is the reason this streak looks so convincing. He has a .934 save percentage through seven starts, and Boston have allowed just 2.11 goals a game.
The Bruins have also learned to come from behind. In Anaheim on Friday, they trailed 2-0 after two goals in the final 38 seconds of the first, then scored three power-play goals, including one from Pastrnak, to win 4-2. A night later in Los Angeles, they fell behind 31 seconds in before Pastrnak tied it and Marat Khusnutdinov scored the winner midway through the third, with Swayman making 25 saves.
Pavel Zacha is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, per ESPN's game preview, and he's the only Boston player on the injury list.
Stars Form
Defence carries this Dallas team. They've allowed the fewest goals in the league and have three shutouts, and Oettinger has a .952 save percentage through six starts.
The last two games were classic Stars hockey. In Colorado last Wednesday, Miro Heiskanen tied it and Arttu Hyry scored shorthanded before Dallas won in a shootout. Saturday in Chicago, Jason Robertson opened the scoring on the power play, Hyry scored twice and Oettinger stopped all 19 shots in a 4-0 win.
Matt Duchene is out with an abdominal injury, per ESPN's game preview, and NHL.com's national TV preview notes the Stars signed David Perron to cover for him.
Verdict
Bruins +1.5, with the game staying under 5.5 goals and David Pastrnak hitting four or more shots. Two of the best goalies in the league are in form, and I expect a tight game that Boston can stay in until the end.
Jeremy Darke
Sports Editor & Betting Analyst • Sports Writer & Expert Betting Analyst
Jeremy is a sports journalist and analyst covering major US leagues including NBA, NHL and NFL, seeking out player props and value.
From playing rugby, ice hockey, tennis and soccer in his home country of Australia to travelling the world covering US sports, he has found a niche in betting expertise.
His interest in analytics and statistics helps him find the edge while writing previews and being a regular tipster here at ExpertPicks.com.