NHL: Avalanche vs Stars Game 2 betting preview

After a thrilling 4-3 victory in the series opener, the Colorado Avalanche will be looking to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Stars. The puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 PM ET at American Airlines Arena. Colorado finds themselves at this stage after dominating the Winnipeg Jets in round one, while Dallas knocked off the defending Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, in seven games. We’ll preview Game 2 below.

What happened in Game 1?

This is expected to be an entertaining series and Game 1 undoubtedly lived up to the hype. The Stars came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 3-0 lead by the end of the third period thanks to goals from Wyatt Johnston, Jamie Benn, and Ryan Suter. But, it all went downhill from there. The Avs scored two goals on the power play in the second before superstar Nathan MacKinnon tied the game in the third. Overtime saw Miles Wood net the winner.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avs didn’t win the Central Division in 2023-24 as they finished in fourth but boy, this team is a force. Jared Bednar’s squad ranked first in the NHL in scoring with 3.68 goals per contest, much in part to MacKinnon’s 140 points. Mikko Rantanen also had 104 points, while Cale Makar compiled 90 points.

Despite coming up against the Jets who were above them in the Central, Colorado manhandled them, winning the series in just five games. The Avalanche scored at least five times in every single contest, taking Game 4 by a score of 5-1 and the series clincher 6-3. Makar, MacKinnon, and Rantanen have already combined for 34 points in the postseason, proving just why they’re Colorado’s go-to guys.

Even though the Avs came out flat in Game 1 against Dallas, they quickly redeemed themselves and continue to thrive with an extra man. Colorado scored six times on the power play in the first round and was 2 for 2 on the PP on Tuesday night. Another victory in Game 2 on the road will put them in a prime position to advance since Games 3 and 4 will be back in Denver. But, Colorado is an underdog on Thursday at NHL sportsbooks.

Dallas Stars

The Stars were in the West Finals a year ago and truly look like the full package, getting revenge on the Golden Knights in the conference quarterfinals. Perhaps it was the fatigue from Game 7 on Sunday, but Dallas completely collapsed in the opener against the Avalanche. They barely did anything after their exhilarating first period and made some costly mistakes that Colorado capitalized on.

Dallas, who won the Central, had a 52-21-8 record and were a great offensive team all year. However, they struggled to score the puck in the first round, averaging just over two goals per game. Joe Pavelski, Matt Duchene, and Jason Robertson aren’t doing enough. If they’re going to get past the Avs, the trio need to step it up. Pavelski in particular has just one point in the series and he was one of Dallas’ top producers this season.

While it’s totally possible to win a game or two on the road, it’s crucial that the Stars come out and grab a victory in Game 2 on home ice. Going into an 0-2 hole against a team like Colorado who have so much momentum is dangerous. Dallas is a -128 favorite at Bodog.