Welcome to the latest edition of NHL Predictions. Each day, our team here at Last Word on Hockey breaks down head-to-head matchups and other key elements that may influence the outcome of each game. This edition of NHL Predictions article examines the Friday, December 20th, 2024 matchup between the Dallas Stars and the New York Rangers.
NHL Predictions
Dallas Stars vs. New York Rangers
Time: 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: Victory+; ESPN+; Sportsnet, MSG Network
The Dallas Stars close a six-game homestand with a matchup against the New York Rangers on Friday night. It will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season. Both reached the conference finals in the spring, and they will meet again in New York on January 7, 2025.
Dallas sits in third place in the Central Division after a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. New York has been on a downward slide and has fallen to sixth place in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers are oddly a better team on the road than at home, while Dallas has mostly dominated on home ice this season.
The Rangers lead the all-time series and have won four of their last five meetings against the Stars.
Dallas Stars Story
Dallas is 3-2-0 during its current homestand and lost to Toronto on Wednesday. While the team agrees it played a good game overall, Toronto just had too much offence for the Stars to overcome. Fourth-line forwards Sam Steel, Evgenii Dadonov, and Colin Blackwell all scored for Dallas. Yet. two goals from William Nylander and a three-goal second period help the Leafs emerge victorious.
The Stars have dealt with scoring struggles all season as key players try to get back up to speed. In December, Dallas has only scored more than two goals in a single game four times. That puts a lot of pressure on the goaltending and the defence, which has had to deal with players like Thomas Harley, Nils Lundkvist, and Casey DeSmith missing recent games with the flu.
Dallas also recently placed defenceman Matt Dumba on injured reserve.
Roope Hintz is one player who has started to get going with three goals and five total points on the current homestand. Forward Matt Duchene continues to lead the Stars in points and has the most career points of any current Dallas player against the Rangers.
New York Rangers Story
The Rangers got off to a hot start, winning six of their first nine games and seemingly scoring at will. However, they have lost seven of the last 10 and look like a shell of the team we saw in the early going.
It’s gotten to the point where they have begun to ship off players, most notably sending defenceman Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks and forward Kappo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken. Plus, goaltender Igor Sheshterkin is having the worst year of his career after signing an eight-year, $92 million contract extension nearly two weeks ago.
Forward Artemi Panarin leads New York with 36 points. He had a two-goal game against Pittsburgh earlier this month and has 19 points in 21 career games against Dallas. However, scoring has also been a struggle for New York, averaging less than three goals per game this season.
NHL Predictions: Stars and Rangers
The Rangers have some scoring in their lineup but aren’t as deep as the Stars. The Stars have had some trouble with “bad” teams this season, yet have excelled on home ice. Dallas will have to get more pucks on the net and be more aggressive than it has been, but Sheshterkin’s struggles this year leave the door open for a rebound performance.
Prediction: Stars win 3-2.
Prop Bets of the Night
Duchene has been Dallas’ best player this season and excels against New York. I would expect him to get at least a point in this one, and he’s +250 to score. I also like under 5.5 total goals (+110) because one of these teams is bound to struggle to put the puck in the net given the way things have gone this season.
Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions, some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Main Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The post NHL Predictions December 20 Dallas Stars Vs New York Rangers appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.