The Detroit Red Wings host the Dallas Stars on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena. The game is set for 7:00 PM ET. Detroit has been eliminated from playoff contention while Dallas is trying to stop a five-game losing streak before starting the postseason. This is the fourth and final regular season game for each team this week.
Dallas won the last matchup between these two teams back on January 19 by a score of 4-1. The Stars have a 50-24-6 record and are second in the Central Division. Detroit comes in at 37-35-7 and has lost 13 of its last 20 games. The Red Wings missed the playoffs for the ninth straight year.
DET Preview – No Postseason, But Still Playing Hard
The Red Wings were officially knocked out of playoff contention when Montreal earned a point in an overtime loss on Saturday. Detroit had the final wild card spot in February but a six-game losing streak changed that. They’ve now gone 7-13-1 in their last 21 games.
Rookie Marco Kasper has been a bright spot with 18 goals and 16 assists. He scored twice in Friday’s overtime win against Tampa Bay. Head coach Todd McLellan said he was pleased with how Kasper bounced back after a tough showing in the previous game.
Detroit’s home record is 21-16-3 and they’ve hit the over in 22 of their last 41 home games. Veterans like Patrick Kane and Dylan Larkin continue to play big minutes while Kasper leads a younger group trying to earn more ice time.
DAL Preview – Looking to Reset Before Playoffs
Dallas has already locked into a playoff matchup with Colorado and has nothing to gain in the standings. The Stars have lost five straight games, including a 5-3 defeat to Utah on Saturday. Head coach Pete DeBoer is more focused on staying healthy than winning right now.
Top goalie Jake Oettinger has started two of the last four games and may get the night off here. Backup Casey DeSmith has started three of the last five and could get another look in net. Dallas is 22-14-3 on the road and has allowed 4.4 goals per game during the losing streak.
Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene lead the offense, but Dallas may rest some veterans again. The team is averaging 3.38 goals per game this season and converting on 22.8% of their power play chances. Their penalty kill ranks below average at 69.5%.
Betting Prediction
Dallas is a small road favorite at -125 with the total set at 6 goals. The Stars are in a slump but still have more talent than Detroit. The Red Wings have nothing left to play for but may be more motivated at home with Fan Appreciation Night going on.
This looks like a good bounce-back spot for Dallas with the postseason right around the corner. Expect a cleaner performance from the Stars as they try to stop the losing streak. The under has hit often for Dallas and could be in play again here.
Pick: Dallas Stars -125 over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday in the National Hockey League
