Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars: Two First Place Teams Battle it Out

• The Carolina Hurricanes are 4-0-1 in their last five games.
• The Dallas Stars are 3-1-1 in their last five games.
• The Hurricanes beat the Stars 5-4 in overtime in their first meeting.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars Odds

Odds Taken from FanDuel Sportsbook

Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars Picks

• Dallas Stars beat Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 
• Carolina Hurricanes cover 
• Over 6 goals

Head-to-Head: Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars

Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars Predictions

The Carolina Hurricanes will travel to Dallas to face the Stars for the second time this season. Their first meeting was particularly exciting and went to overtime. The Hurricanes were leading 4-2 early in the third period, but the Stars scored two goals to send it to overtime. However, that did not matter, as Martin Necas sent in an overtime winner with 2:19 left.

The Hurricanes are in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points. However, they could fall into second with a few losses. The Stars are also in first place in their division (the Central Division). They, too, could fall into second place with a few losses.

The Hurricanes have a couple of offensive weapons but do not always perform to expectation. They have three players (Martin Necas, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov) with a lot of goal-scoring ability but only score 3.22 goals per game. Defensively, they are much better and only allow 2.7 goals per game. Overall, the Hurricanes are a strong team, but they need consistency from their offense.

The Hurricanes' three stars are Martin Necas, Sebastian Aho, and Andrei Svechnikov. Each player is dangerous with the puck in their hands and has at least 17 goals, 18 assists, and 37 points.

Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta make up the Hurricanes goaltending duo. Andersen has missed much of the season with an injury but is back now. When healthy, these two make one of the best pairs in the league. They will be the Hurricanes’ x-factors as the season continues.

The Stars have put together a great squad and average nearly 3.5 goals per game. They consistently perform well offensively and have a top three defense that only allows 2.55 goals per game. The Stars are an excellent squad and have what it takes to make a deep Playoff run.

The Stars are led by Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz, and Jamie Benn. Robertson is the premiere player of this group, but these other three players are also talented passers and scorers. They each have at least 24 assists and 43 points.

The Stars have one of the NHL’s top goaltenders in Jake Oettinger. Oettinger’s 2.22 goals against is the third-lowest in the NHL, and his .925 save percentage is the second-highest.

These teams have been performing similarly well lately, but the Stars are a little better and have home-ice advantage, so I will give the edge to them. Bet on Dallas.

Why Might the Carolina Hurricanes Win?

The Hurricanes are on the road and the underdogs will win if they score a power play goal and come out playing aggressively.

The Hurricanes have a decent offense but a poor power play unit. Carolina only converts 18.4% of their opportunities, putting them in the bottom ten in the NHL. They failed to score last game but need to bounce back and score in this game. A power play goal may be the difference between a win and a loss, so they must bring their A-game.

The Hurricanes are on the road and playing at an inherent disadvantage. However, they can push the game more in their favor by playing tough defense and laying out some big hits early.

Why Might the Dallas Stars Win?

The Stars are the favorites but can improve their chances if they pass to Jason Robertson and have strong goaltending.

Jason Robertson played well last year but has taken the NHL by storm this year. The winger had 32 goals, 33 assists, and a +/- of 28. He is a wizard with the puck but can only work his magic if his teammates pass to him. If he has the puck in his hands often, either he will score, or his teammates will score.

The Stars are facing a Hurricanes squad that shoots the puck a lot. Carolina averages an absurd 35 shots per game. Since the Hurricanes shoot that much, the Stars need to have goaltending. 

Hurricanes Key Players: (C) Sebastian Aho 

This is not all too surprising of a choice. Sebastian Aho has been a little quieter this season but still has 17 goals and 23 assists in 39 games. More importantly, he is coming off a hat trick in his previous game.

Aho had a fantastic game a couple of nights ago and should bring the same energy from that game into this one. If he does, the Stars will be in for a long night.

Stars Key Player: (C) Joe Pavelski

Joe Pavelski is no Jason Robertson, but he is arguably the Stars' second-best player. He has 14 goals, 33 assists, and a team-leading +/- of 33 in 49 games this season. He also managing to perform this well at the old age of 38.

Pavelski is the Stars’ second option. He must embrace that role tonight and make the right plays when it matters.

How to Watch Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars

• What - Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars
• Where - American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• When - Wednesday, January 25, 8:30 PM EST
• How to Watch - NHLPP, ESPN+