Dallas Stars vs New York Islanders Betting Picks

Neither the Stars nor the Islanders is playing well right now, but there is a class difference in this matchup. Dallas has the second-most points in the NHL with 97, which is 12 more than New York. This is the first of a four-game road trip for Dallas. The Stars want to get back on track after losing their past three games by a combined four goals. Dallas has the second stingiest defense in the NHL, giving up an average of 2.7 goals a game. The Stars rank eighth in scoring and have the league's second-highest power play percentage. Dallas has scored a power play goal in each of its last three games. The Islanders are off a 4-3 home loss to the Blackhawks this past Tuesday. New York was minus $1.70 in that game. The Islanders are 1-3 in their last four games. They have been without steady defenseman Ryan Pulock the past two games because of a lower-body injury, and Tony DeAngelo is also listed as day-to-day. Take the Stars. 

The Dallas offense is fifth in the NHL in goals scored (3.29 per game) and seventh in shooting percentage. They're on an 8-3 run tallying 42 goals after wins at San Jose (8-3) and New Jersey (4-2). Dallas is also on an 8-4 run OVER the total. New York has surrendered 10 goals in the last two contests slipping to 14th in goals allowed and 31st in penalty killing. Take Dallas/New York OVER the total.

New York was just 17-18-6 last season on the road as they play their first road game of the new campaign. They lost the opener at home to Utah wasting a 6-to-2 edge in power play opportunities. Their power play percentage is 16.7%, worse than a year ago when they ranked 18th (20%) and 22nd in scoring. Dallas won its opener, 4-3, at Nashville. Last season, the Stars were third in the NHL in scoring and eighth in goals allowed. They're on a 22-10-9 run at home. Play Dallas. 

New York won the only meeting this season 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 21 and it catches the Stars playing their first home game following a rough four-game trip in a six-day span. Dallas did manage to salvage a 2-1 win over Carolina on Saturday after losing four in a row, but the Stars have scored only 10 goals in five games. Ilya Sorokin is the likely starter for the Islanders and he is 17-13-11. This is a lookahead game for Dallas, which has Colorado on deck tomorrow and New York cannot afford many more losses it it wants to stay in playoff contention. Take the Islanders as a Max Play.