Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars: Dallas Looks to Tie the Series at One

• The Seattle Kraken beat the Colorado Avalanche in seven games in the First Round.
• The Dallas Stars beat the Minnesota Wild in six games in the First Round.
• The Stars were 2-0-1 against the Kraken this season.

Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars Odds

Odds Taken from FanDuel Sportsbook

Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars Predictions and Picks

Dallas Stars beat Seattle Kraken 4-2

Dallas Stars cover 

Over 5.5 goals

Head-to-Head: Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars

Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars Predictions and Picks

The Seattle Kraken will stay in Dallas for Game Two of this Second Round series. These teams were not that far apart during the season, so this series will go six or seven games.

The Kraken made the Playoffs in the second Wild Card spot. They faced the Colorado Avalanche and were expected to lose. This looked like a real possibility when they were down 2-1 after three games. However, the Kraken went on to win Games Four and Five and, after losing Game Six, won Game Seven 2-1. The Kraken offense has been huge this season. Seattle averaged over 3.5 goals per game during the season. They scored a lot less in the First Round, but their defense held it down and came up big when it mattered. Seattle may have won Game One, but they will have an uphill battle in this. They do not have a great goaltender and are facing a much more difficult team this round in the Stars.

The Kraken have not had any stars in the Playoffs but have been led by Yanni Gourde, Justin Schultz, Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Jared McCann would also be on this list, but he has only played in four games in the Playoffs and is on the injured list. Gourde leads this group with seven points, and Schwartz and Bjorkstrand have three goals each.

Phillip Grubauer will likely be in the net for the Kraken. Grubauer is not the best goalie in this game, but he has stepped up in the Playoffs. The 31-year-old had a .895 save percentage during the regular season but has a .921 save percentage in the Playoffs.

The Stars were strong all year long and made the Playoffs with the third-most points in the Western Conference (108). They faced the Minnesota Wild in the First Round and beat them in six games. Dallas was down 2-1 after three games but went on to win the next three games. The Stars’ offense maintained their dominance in that round. They averaged 3.41 goals per game during the season and 3.7 goals in the final three games of the First round. The Stars’ defense was also instrumental in the First Round. They held the Wild to 2.3 goals per game and only three combined goals in the last three games. The Stars are simply the better team and will win this series.

The Stars continue to be led by Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, and Tyler Seguin. Hintz leads the team with 12 assists, but the other three are all making positive contributions.

Jake Oettinger will get the start in net for the Stars. Oettinger was dominant during the regular season and has been even better in the Playoffs. He has a .921 save percentage and a 2.35 goals against average. If he continues to perform like this, Dallas can win it all.

The Stars are playing at home and will be hungry to even up this series, so they will win Game Two. Bet on Dallas.

Why Might the Seattle Kraken Win?

The Kraken are the underdogs but will win if they score first and slow down Roope Hintz.

The Kraken pulled out a 5-4 overtime win in Game One. They did not score first in that game, but I expect the Stars to be more prepared this time around, so scoring the first goal will be critical.

Roope Hintz played well during the regular season but turned on the jets in the Playoffs. Since he has been Dallas’ best player, the Kraken must make him priority #1 and slow him down.

Why Might the Dallas Stars Win?

The Stars are the favorites but will only win if they draw penalties and limit the Kraken’s shots.

The Stars are converting over 34% of their power plays in the Playoffs. However, they did not score a power play goal in Game One. Dallas must step it up in this game and draw penalties. If they draw three penalties, they will score a power play goal.

The Stars shot 35 times in Game One, but the Kraken shot 44 times. They cannot allow Seattle to shoot as much today. If they limit the Kraken’s shots, they will limit their offense.

Kraken Key Players: (C) Yanni Gourde

Yanni Gourde scored a goal in Game One and secured his seventh point of the Playoffs. He is playing great hockey and must continue to excel in Game Two.

Stars Key Player: (D) Miro Heiskanen

Miro Heiskanen deserves some flowers for his Postseason performance. The defenseman has seven assists and is playing nearly 30 minutes a game. No other Star is within six minutes of that. Heiskanen is leading the Stars’ defense and provides some offense on the side. That makes him their key player.

How to Watch Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars

• What - Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars

• Where - American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

• When - Thursday, May 4, 9:30 PM EST

• How to Watch - TNT