Stars vs. Blackhawks prediction, odds, pick – 12/29/2024
12/29/2024 09:58 AM
The Dallas Stars will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday at the United Center. It’s a battle in the Windy City as we share our NHL odds series and make a Stars-Blackhawks prediction and pick.
The Blackhawks are 34-33 against the Stars in their past 67 meetings. It will be the fourth and final time the Stars and Blackhawks face off this season. Recently, the Hawks blasted the Stars 6-2 at the United Center after losing the first two games 3-1 and 4-2, respectively. The Stars are 7-3 over the past 10 games against the Hawks. Moreover, they are 4-1 in five games against the Blackhawks at the United Center.
Here are the Stars-Blackhawks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Stars-Blackhawks Odds
Dallas Stars: -1.5 (+106)
Moneyline: -245
Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-130)
Moneyline: +198
Over: 5.5 (-128)
Under: 5.5 (+104)
How To Watch Stars vs Blackhawks
Time: 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT
TV: ESPN
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Stars Could Cover the Spread/Win
Jamie Benn continues to shine and has now played in most games for the Dallas Stars after surpassing Mike Modano a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, he has not had his longtime teammate Tyler Seguin, who is out several months with a left hip injury. The injury has slowed down the Stars, who have been inconsistent and struggling to beat bad teams, as evidenced by the 6-2 loss against the Hawks a few weeks ago.
When the Stars played the Blackhawks in October, they won because they had more shots and went 1 for 3 on the powerplay. Then, when they faced them again a week later, they had more shots and dominated the faceoff circle with a 71.4 percent success rate. In any case, many things went right.
For example, Matt Duchene had two goals in the first game while Evgeni Dadonov also added a tally. Likewise, Benn found the back of the net. Sam Steel had a goal and an assist in the second game, while Benn had an apple to help out. The defense and goaltending were also solid in both wins, with Jake Oettinger finishing with 25 saves and a .965 save percentage in the second game. Therefore, they must execute in the manner they did in these two victories, as it gave them a leg up from the start.
The Stars will cover the spread if Duchene can get on the scoresheet and give the Stars the early lead. Then, they need the defense to play well and not allow the Hawks to have any room.
Why the Blackhawks Could Cover the Spread/Win
Connor Bedard has been a star and keeps improving after passing Patrick Kane for the second-most goals by a teenager in franchise history. Despite that, it has not all been roses and good vibes for the Hawks. Still, they showed an offensive explosion two weeks ago that powered them to a major victory over the Blackhawks. Because of that, it showcased what the Hawks are capable of when they are firing on all cylinders.
The Hawks blasted the Stars despite only winning 36.5 percent of their faceoffs. Yet, they still managed to fire 26 shots on goal. The Blackhawks also went 1 for 2 on the powerplay and 3 for 4 on the penalty kill. However, the most important factor was their ability to sacrifice their bodies to prevent shots. Chicago had 28 blocked shots in that game.
Taylor Hall also added a hat trick in the win, while Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists. Bedard also had a goal to supplement the offense. Coincidentally, this game showed what the Hawks can do even when Bedard is not the leading force.
Of course, taking the early lead helped immensely. It forced the Stars to play in their heels. Moreover, it gave Petr Mrazek time to get comfortable, and he finished with 25 saves. A major second period helped put this game away for the Hawks, allowing their lead to balloon.
The Blackhawks will cover the spread if they can gain better possession metrics while Hall and Bedard find room to fire shots. Then, they need to keep blocking shots.
Final Stars-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick
The Stars are 14-20 against the spread, while the Blackhawks are 18-18 against the odds. Moreover, the Stars are 3-12 against the spread on the road, while the Hawks are 8-7 against the spread at home. The Stars are 11-20-3 against the over/under, while the Hawks are 14-19-3 against the over/under.
The Stars have not looked good at all recently. Yes, the Hawks are still a terrible team. But it’s hard to ignore what they did to them exactly a month ago. I can see the Hawks hanging around and covering the spread.
Final Stars-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-130)
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