BEST LINES: Pinnacle +110 Bet365 +105 SportsInteraction +105 5DIMES +106

Posted at 1:30 PM EST 

8:00 PM EST. OT included. The Nashville Predators pulled a rabbit out of their asses when they beat the Flyers on Tuesday night, 6-5. Down 3-0 but dominating the game, the Flyers would go on to score the next five goals and take a 5-3 lead early in the third period before a bizarre series of event would take place. Down 5-4 with just under three minutes remaining, the refs called two minor penalties on the Flyers at the same time to put them down two men. Nashville coach, Peter Laviolette would then pull the goalie to make it a 6 on 3 power-play and Nashville would tie it up. However, Philadelphia Coach, Dave Hakstol, who was on tilt at that point (for the double minor), challenged the tying goal for offside. The new rule this year is that if a challenge is unsuccessful, a minor penalty for delay of game will be assessed to the team challenging. Naturally, Hakstol lost the challenge and Philadelphia was assessed another two minute penalty. Because there were two men already in the box, one of the two men was allowed back on the ice for the goal scored but because of the challenge, Philly remained two men short for the remainder of the game and naturally, Nashville scored again. The final score was 6-5 Nashville in another classic example of “in-game variance” at work. Nashville deserved to lose because they were clearly the second best team on the ice for 58 minutes.

The Preds have been the second best team on the ice in all three of their games so far. They even lost to Boston, a team that has been beaten twice by Colorado already this year. The Nashville Predators have a lot of market appeal because of their outstanding run in last year’s playoffs that attracted quite the media circus in that region and around the NHL too. What really happened is they had a bunch of players that had career years last season all at the same time and they still weren’t that good. The Preds are full of flaws, which includes possessing the worst goaltending duo in the NHL. Fear not the Nashville Predators.

This isn’t how it was supposed to happen. When the Stars hired Ken Hitchcock in April, a new system was put into place. There were significant differences between a Hitchcock system and a Lindy Ruff system, and those differences would take some time to get used to. Dallas is 1-2 with its only win coming against the low stock of the Detroit Red Wings. They lost to Vegas and they lost to St. Louis. That sets up this sweet opportunity on the vastly superior Stars.

Dallas is so dangerous and they have played so much better than this market realizes. Dallas has shown in their first three games that the offense, defense, and goaltending are all in store for massive upgrades from last year. All it takes is some commitment and positivity. The offense is already firing away at a high rate of speed, so it’s only a matter of time before the goals begin flooding in. The defense is showing a better commitment to playing back and using proper structure. And the goaltending is quickly growing into a positive force. Dallas outshot Vegas 46-30 and lost. They outshot St. Louis 40-21 and lost and then they beat Detroit. The Dallas Stars are loaded and under Ken Hitchcock, who has always had great first years with his new team, they are about to thrive. Less than 10 days into the season and this market is overreacting to early results when only 2.4% of the schedule has been played. Dallas is in great form and will only get better. Win or lose, that they are the dog here is a gift. 

Open an account today at Pinnacle Sports and take advantage of their -104 style pricing on sides and totals, which is 60% better than other sportsbooks.