Kraken vs Stars Game 2 Prediction & Best Bets: Can Dallas Avoid Falling Into 0-2 Hole?

The second round of the 2022-23 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continues on Thursday, May 4. The night’s schedule features the Dallas Stars taking on the Seattle Kraken in Game 2 of their Western Conference side. After Seattle shocked the hockey world in Game 1, will the next Kraken vs Stars matchup end with a similar result?

Initiate: Second Round Matchup ?

Select: Kraken ? vs Stars ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/Djn2Jk2Q9x

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) May 1, 2023

Game 1 was filled with thrills, to say the least. Despite Stars veteran center Joe Pavelski scoring four goals, it wasn’t enough to get the job done. After the game was tied 4-4 after regulation, Yanni Gourde scored his second goal of the postseason in overtime to give the Kraken a 5-4 victory and a 1-0 series lead.

Can the Kraken capitalize on their momentum to return to Seattle with a 2-0 edge? Or will the Stars dig down deep enough to even the series before it’s too late?

Here’s a look at everything you know heading into Game 2 of the Kraken vs Stars series, from the latest betting odds to a prediction with the best betting recommendation.

Seattle Kraken vs Dallas Stars Game 2 Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Seattle Kraken vs. Dallas Stars (SEA leads 1-0)
• Venue & Location: American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas)
• Date: Thursday, May 4, 2023
• Game Time: 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time
• Kraken vs Stars TV Info: TNT, CBC, SportsNet

Kraken vs Stars Game 2 Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Thursday, May 4 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Seattle Kraken +1.5 (-156)
• Dallas Stars -1.5 (+130)

Over/Under

• Over 5.5 Goals (+108)
• Under 5.5 Goals (-132)

Moneyline

• Seattle Kraken +172
• Dallas Stars -210

Kraken vs Stars Betting Trends

• Seattle is 4-2 straight up in its last six games as the underdog.
• Dallas is 8-3 straight up in its last 11 games against the Western Conference.
• The total has hit the under in six of Seattle’s last seven road games.
• The total has hit the under in eight of Dallas’ last 10 games played on Thursday.
• The total has hit the over in four of the last five Seattle-Dallas matchups.

Kraken vs Stars Game 2 Preview

It seems like the Stars underestimated the Kraken in Game 1, meaning they can’t afford to make the same mistakes again.

The Kraken had the Stars’ number in multiple categories, leading when it came to both shots (44-35) and hits (47-19). That’s not even mentioning how Seattle only turned the puck over 12 times compared to Dallas’ 18 giveaways.

The Stars also didn’t have much of an answer for their opponent’s depth. The Kraken received goals from five different players (including one defenseman) on Tuesday night, whereas the Stars didn’t get any offense outside of Pavelski’s career night. Names like Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Tyler Seguin, and Evgenii Dadonov were all held pointless — something that Dallas can’t afford to let happen again.

Someone who must also be better for the Stars is goaltender Jake Oettinger. While the talented netminder has played well in the playoffs, allowing five goals on 44 shots is unacceptable and will make any game tough to win.

It’ll be interesting to see if Oettinger can bounce back given his inconsistent road play as of late. Although he has a 2.49 goals-against average in his last eight away contests, his .905 save percentage over that stretch is less than ideal. He also finished with a sub-.900 SV% in three of those contests.

The good news for the Stars is that Kraken G Philipp Grubauer wasn’t that great either two nights ago, surrendering four goals on 35 shots (.886 SV%). As great as Grubauer has been this postseason, has been dreadful against Dallas, going 1-5 straight up with a 3.56 GAA and .882 SV% in his last six starts against Peter DeBoer’s club.

With this game also being at American Airlines Center, the Stars have a better chance of getting back on track. After all, they’ve won six of their last eight home games while doubling their opponents’ offensive totals (28-14) during that span.

Dallas must also take advantage of the fact that Seattle’s Jared McCann likely won’t suit up for the fifth consecutive game. The veteran forward — who scored a career-high 40 goals in the regular season — hasn’t played since taking a massive hit in Game 4 last round.

McCann was his team’s top goal-scorer by 16 goals, so now’s the time for the Stars’ offense to ramp up. Considering how they’ve scored an average of five goals in their previous three home outings, I’d say there’s a good chance of that happening.

Kraken vs Stars Game 2 Prediction and Picks

Kraken vs Stars Prediction: Stars 4, Kraken 2

Kraken vs Stars: Stars -1.5 (Best Value: +130 at BetOnline) & Roope Hintz — Over 2.5 Shots (Best Value: -104 at BetOnline)

After suffering an embarrassing loss and letting Pavelski down in Game 1, I see the Stars evening up the series with a strong effort tonight. They’ve been great at home this season and won’t underestimate the Kraken again. Dallas’ top players will finally show up, being too much for visiting Seattle to handle.

Another Kraken vs Stars bet worth making is taking the over on Roope Hintz’s 2.5-shot total. The dynamic forward is averaging exactly three shots per game in the playoffs, firing a total of 10 in his last two games alone. With his hitting the over thrice in his last four home games, I like the odds of Hintz creating a plethora of offensive chances tonight.

Other Stars vs Kraken Betting Resources

• Stars vs Kraken Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats

Other NHL Stories on Betting News (May 4)

• Stanley Cup Winner Odds and Best Bets