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The Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars are gearing up for Game 7 of the NHL playoffs West first round, with the series tied at 3-3.
The game will be played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be watched or listened to on TVAS, SN, BSSW, TBS, truTV, MAX, SCRIPPS and Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 AM The Ticket.
Dallas endured a 2-0 defeat on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights in their last game on Friday. The winner will move to the second round to compete against the Colorado Avalanche, who won their first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets in five games.
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The Stars, the Central Division's No.1 seed with a 52-21-9 record, will have the home-ice advantage against the Avalanche, the Central's No. 3 seed.
Coach PeteDeBoer has led the Stars to a 7-0 record in Game 7 battles. Dallas, meanwhile, holds a Game 7 record 4-5, with a home advantage of 3-2 since relocating from Minnesota in the 1993-94 season. Their most recent Game 7 outing was a narrow 2-1 win against the Seattle Kraken in the second round last season.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy boasts a balanced 2-2 record in Game 7 encounters. The 2023 first round had three Game 7s, with the visiting team winning twice. Vegas maintains a 2-1 Game 7 record, with a 0-1 record on the road.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars: Game preview
The Dallas Stars' three-game winning streak was ended by the Golden Knights in their previous game. They will look for their fourth win in five games to secure their place in the next round.
Despite having 23 shots on goal, the Stars failed to score in the last game, so they need to create more scoring opportunities. Jake Oettinger was impressive in goal, saving 28 of 29 shots.
The Stars, who were ranked third in the offense and eighth in defense during the regular season, need to make a shift start. They are averaging 2.33 goals per game and score on 30.8% of their power play opportunities.
Wyatt Johnston leads the team with three goals, three assists and 23 shots on goal, closely followed by Jason Robertson with five points, three goals and 17 shots on goal. Miro Heiskanen has provided four assists, while Tyler Seguin has taken 18 shots on goal.
Defensively, the Dallas concede an average of 2.5 goals per game and defend 72.7% of their opponent's power plays. In goal, Jake Oettinger, with a 3-3-0 record, a 2.10 GAA, and a .921 SV%, has let in 13 goals from 164 shots faced.
Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights, in their last game, ended their three-game losing streak to force a Game 7. They hope to continue their momentum with another win against the Stars.
The Golden Knights had lost three straight games before Friday night's game but improved on defense in their 2-0 victory. Adin Hill was the starting goalkeeper and saved all 23 shots faced. Noah Hanifin ended the game with a goal and three shots on goal, while Mark Stone also scored.
If the defense performs well, the Vegas Golden Knights have a good chance of winning. The Knights average 2.5 goals per game and score on 27.3% of their power play opportunities.
They are led by Jack Eichel with three goals, four assists and 19 shots on goal. Ivan Barbashev has four assists. Jonanthan Marchessault has two goals, three assists and 23 shots on goal.
Defensively, they allow an average of 2.33 goals per game and kill 69.2% of their opponent's power plays. Logan Thompson, with a 2-2-0 record, a 2.35 GAA and a .921 SV%, has conceded 10 goals from 127 shots faced, while Adin Hill, with a 1-1-0 record, a 1.52 GAA, and a .938 SV%, has let in three goals from 48 shots faced.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars: Injury report
For Vegas, Nicolas Hague's status is uncertain because of a lower-body injury, while Robin Lehner is out due to a hip issue. The Dallas Stars also have concerns about the availability of Radek Faksa and Mason Marchment.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars: Head-to-head
The Vegas Golden Knights have an all-time playoff record of 9-9-0 against the Stars.
In faceoff, the Dallas Stars lead with a success rate of 51.9%, while the Golden Knights trail slightly at 48.1%.
However, the Dallas Stars take the lead in shots per game at 31.6, compared to the Golden Knights' 31.1.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars: Odds and prediction
Dallas is the favorite team with -150 odds and stands a +170 chance to win by more than one goal. Vegas, meanwhile, has odds of +125 to win and -205 to limit the deficit to a single goal.
The over/under for Sunday's NHL game is 5.5, with the under being favored at -120. In the first six games, four stayed under 5.5, and both teams averaged just 4.83 goals per game.
Prediction: Stars 3-1 Golden Knights
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars: Betting tips
Tip 1: Stars to win
Tip 2: Total goals over 5.5: Yes
Tip 3: Mark Stone to score anytime: Yes
Tip 4: Jason Robertson to score first: Yes
Tip 5: Golden Knights to beat the spread: No
Hot Betting Tip: Mark Stone of the Golden Knights is expected to score, and Tyler Seguin of the Stars is predicted to have more than 2.5 shots.
