Game 1 Avalanche vs Stars Prediction, Injury News & Odds (Apr. 19)

• The Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series Saturday night at American Airlines Center.

• Despite finishing third in the Central Division, the Avalanche are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup and are 1.5-goal favorites tonight.

• I got your up-to-the-minute injury report on both teams (there’s plenty to say), plus a look at the best odds and prediction for Game 1.

Playoff hockey returns to Dallas when the Stars (37-45 ATS) host the Avalanche (36-46 ATS) Saturday night in Game 1 of the first round.

Colorado won two of the three regular-season games, one in overtime, and outscored the Stars 13-11. However, it was the Stars who bounced Colorado from the playoffs last year.

I think this looks like one of the best first-round series out there. The NHL playoffs are here, and I’ve got the pick and insights you want to see.

Avalanche vs Stars Prediction Game 1

• Stars +1.5 (-230 at DraftKings)

• Under 5.5 (+105 at DraftKings)

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The Avalanche transformed their team on the fly this season. They brought in veteran goalies Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood and both have been spectacular.

Colorado traded away Mikko Rantanen to Carolina, he played 13 games there and is now with (looky here) Dallas, where he has 18 points in 20 games. This is the Rantanen Revenge series.

The Avalanche have one of the game’s best players in Nathan MacKinnonn and Cale Makar had 30 goals, but I just don’t understand all the love for Colorado entering this series. Dallas is way underrated and undervalued here.

The Stars went 0-5-2 in their last seven games this season, but I think they were just doing some load management here. I don’t know if I like the Stars to win the series, but I like them today. Jake Oettinger will have a good night in net for Dallas.

Avalanche vs Stars Injury News

The Stars enter the playoffs after absorbing a huge loss in the last game of the regular season (this is why guys get rested) when Jason Robertson went down with a knee injury. He led the Stars in goals with 35. His official designation is ‘week to week’ meaning in hockey language ‘we aren’t telling you squat.’

Dallas did get back mainstay Tyler Seguin after missing 58 games after hip surgery. He had an assist in his return.

Colorado’s injury story is even bigger.

First is the status of captain Gabriel Landeskog, who, as every hockey fan knows, has missed the last three seasons after a freak knee injury. Yes, three seasons. Landeskog played a couple of games in the AHL last week. The last time he played in an NHL game was Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup final won by Colorado. Even if his skills have declined, his return is a huge emotional lift.

Colorado winger Jonathan Drouin hasn’t played since April 2 with a lower-body injury. Ryan Lindgren, brought over from the Rangers, is iffy. Reports were that he struggled in practice Wednesday with an upper body issue.

Avalanche vs Stars Odds Game 1

Odds courtesy of DraftKings. Playoff hockey is here! Jump over the boards with our best DraftKings promo code.

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Dallas is not getting much love from the sportsbooks. Both of these teams underperformed against the spread this season. The Stars won the semifinal series last year 4-2.

The last seven meetings between these two teams all hit the over, and the underdog has won the last seven Dallas games.

The moneyline numbers all look about the same. I can get the Avalanche -135 moneyline at BetMGM.