Stars vs. Golden Knights 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds and Game 1 Preview – May 19th

By Jeff Stinger • May 17, 2023

The Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights find themselves in a familiar spot just three years ago when the two met in the Western Conference Final. The Stars took that WCF series from 2020 in five games, but the Knights enter this postseason as the best team in the West record-wise. Who’ll draw first blood when the opening faceoff ensues in Game 1 Friday?

Nitrobetting is here to turn your betting slapshots into winning goals with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. This time, let’s break down the upcoming Game 1 Western Conference Final showdown between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights.

2023 NHL Playoffs: Stars vs. Golden Knights Game 1 Information

When: Friday, May 19, 2023, 8:30 PM ET
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
TV: ESPN
Radio: SiriusXM NHL Network Radio
Live Stream: NHL Network
NHL Betting Odds: Stars (+103) / Golden Knights (-125)

Why Bet on the Dallas Stars?

It took seven games to knock out the upstart Seattle Kraken from the second round, but the Dallas Stars still got the job done and are back in the Western Conference Final for the first time in three years. Seattle proved to be a tough out for Dallas, which needed its experienced roster and a little help from a young prospect to advance to the next round.

20-year-old Wyatt Johnston, Dallas’ first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, scored the go-ahead goal during his team’s 2-1 victory in Game 7 against the Kraken. However, the Stars are led by their two main, well, stars: Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski. Hintz ranks only second behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid with 19 points in the postseason. Meanwhile, Pavelski made up for time lost during the first-round series against the Wild and scored eight goals in the seven games against the Kraken.

After giving up an average of 3.5 goals per game through the first six games of the series against Seattle, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger had his best performance in Game 7 allowing just one goal to go with 22 saves. Oettinger has the most wins amongst all goaltenders this postseason with eight but has been fortunate to be bailed out by his team’s potent offense one more occasions than not, making Dallas’ defense a total wild card.

Why Bet on the Vegas Golden Knights?

For the fourth time in the franchise’s six-year existence, the Vegas Golden Knights are back in the Western Conference Final. While it was expected that the Golden Knights will cruise past the first round against the Winnipeg Jets (and they did so in five games), their six-game victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the second round just proved how well this Knights team has been built from the ground up.

Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas’ top star since day one, scored a hat trick in the Game 6 win over the Oilers as the team stunned the Canadian home crowd with a 5-2 beatdown in Edmonton. Former second-overall draft pick Jack Eichel has also finally reached his peak form in his second year in Sin City, tallying 14 points thus far in his postseason debut and with at least one point in seven of his first 11 playoff starts.

Journeyman goalie Adin Hill has been quite the revelation for Vegas. Hill’s .934 save percentage is currently second amongst his peers in the playoffs and fourth with his glowing 2.19 goals-against average. The Knights continue to excel as they’ve done for most of the season and having just limited a frightening Oilers offense is a promising sign that they can avenge their Stanley Cup Final loss back in 2018.

Stars vs. Golden Knights Betting Trends

The Stars are 3-3 on the road this postseason and have won eight of their last 12 games away from Texas.
The Stars have won four straight meetings against the Golden Knights.
The totals have gone under in each of those four most recent Dallas vs. Vegas matchups.
The Golden Knights are 7-2 in their last nine home games.
The Knights are 13-2 in their last 15 outings as favorites to win.
The totals have gone over in four of Vegas’ last six games played in the T-Mobile Arena.

Stars vs. Golden Knights Game 1 Expert Betting Prediction

Two of the West’s more star-studded teams collide in Game 1, and we’ll have to side with the Golden Knights to win Friday’s series opener thanks to another solid performance from Hill between the pipes. Dallas lost both Game 1s in the first and second rounds before coming into form later on, and Vegas is playing at another level of confidence as we speak.

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This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting News. Stay tuned for more hockey previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest betting odds on the sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.