Double payback chance for the Stars as they lost in the 2023 West Finals to Vegas and lost this season's series 3-0 -- although all three games were in 2023. However, Dallas closed winning 17 of its final 21 overall to earn the West's top seed, and Jake Oettinger was brilliant down the stretch. He's really the play here over the Knights' Logan Thompson, who did have a good season himself but largely due to his home numbers. Away, he was 9-9-4 with a 3.24 GAA. Home teams have been killing it so far in these playoffs. That's usually good for us.

Dallas is my favorite to come out of the West, and that starts tonight. The Stars have a deep and loaded forward group that should be able to wear down Vegas, and Jake Oettinger has cleaned things up, allowing two or fewer goals in 10 of his past 11 games. I also like the revenge angle here, as the Knights knocked Dallas out last year in the Western Conference Finals. Vegas is just 18-23 on the road this season.

Back on November 4, when we were at the Washington-USC football game at the LA Coliseum, VGK was walloping the Avs 7-0 the same night to move to 11-0-1. We wouldn't have believed anyone that night who told us Vegas would win less than half of its games the rest of the season, but that's what happened, as inconsistencies, injuries, and deadline adds yet to detonate all contributed to lackluster form for five months. Losing to lowly Anaheim on the final night to drop to the West eighth seed was another indicator this isn't last year for VGK, and Dallas has been looking for a chance to avenge that West finals loss to Vegas last spring. Play Stars on Money Line