Coyotes vs. Stars Wednesday NHL odds: Dallas clinches final Stanley Cup playoff spot in league with single point

As the NHL's 2021-22 regular season winds down, 15 of the league's 16 playoff spots have been clinched and the final one can be Wednesday night when the Dallas Stars host one of the league's worst teams in the Arizona Coyotes. All the Stars need is one point – simply the game going to overtime – and they will nab the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Dallas is a massive -500 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook.

Don't just assume the Stars will win tonight because of that moneyline price. Minnesota was -600 at home on Tuesday in a huge game for potential home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs but was stunned by these Coyotes 5-3 as Arizona ended a 10-game losing streak – eight of those losses had been by multiple goals. The Yotes have the second-fewest points in the NHL with 53, two ahead of Montreal for the best percentage chance of winning the NHL Draft lottery.

The Stars' magic number is one for a playoff spot – meaning one point. They are tied for the final two wild-card spots on 95 points with Nashville, but the Predators have clinched a spot. The only way Dallas misses the playoffs is if it loses in regulation tonight vs. Arizona and Friday at home vs. Anaheim AND Vegas wins tonight in Chicago and Friday in St. Louis. Had the Stars beaten the visiting Golden Knights in regulation on Tuesday instead of 3-2 in a shootout, Dallas would have clinched.

About half the Arizona roster is done for the season and the team is starting maybe the worst current goaltender in the NHL tonight in Harri Sateri. The 32-year-old has just 13 games of NHL experience under his belt and is 0-2-1 with a 5.88 GAA and .822 SV this year. He hadn't played in the league prior to this season since 2017-18 with Florida.

Dallas counters with Scott Wedgewood, acquired earlier this season from, ironically, Arizona. The Stars have lost the past three times he has taken the ice, once in relief. Overall this season, Wedgewood is 13-15-5 with a 3.11 GAA and .910 SV.  

That Dallas wins in regulation is a -380 favorite on the Caesars method of victory prop. That Arizona does is +525. It would be fascinating to see this game go to OT because then the Stars really don't have to care. The Coyotes winning in OT is +1600.

The Stars are 2-1 in the season series but lost the last one 3-1 in the desert on Feb. 20. Just as a hockey bettor, I want Dallas to lose in regulation and Vegas to win in Chicago so we have two games worth betting on Friday. Otherwise, they might all be meaningless.  

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