Posted at 2:15 PM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle +167 BET365 +165 Sportsinteraction +160 888Sport +160

Seattle +167 over Dallas

9:38 PM EST. OT included. It is no coincidence that the Stars wear green because they have a horseshoe up their behinds. Dallas disposed of the Wild in six games, and now as they get ready to face the upstart Kraken. That makes it a good time to review just how fortunate the Stars are to even be in this position. The Stars effectively padded their regular season point total by securing 14 points in OT or shootout losses. While the Stars boast 47 wins, a closer analysis reveals that a significant portion of those victories came against the weaker teams in the NHL. When pitted against the top-ranked squads, the Stars struggled, managing a mere 5-17 record against the top 10 and a lackluster 16-21 record against the top 16. In short, the Stars feasted on the fat to get here, and they caught a Wild team that couldn't get out of its own way and once again failed to get out of the first round. The Kraken does not carry that baggage.

Seattle made an impressive playoff debut by eliminating the defending champion Avalanche in a thrilling seven-game series. One key to the Kraken's success has been their team-wide "buy-in". Fifteen different players found the back of the net against Colorado, showcasing the depth and scoring ability of every line. Notably, forward Jared McCann did not score in the series and missed Games 5, 6, and 7 due to injury, but this is a "next man up" league, and Seattle's depth and resilience cannot be ignored. This team does not quit. Ever. Moreover, the Kraken just knocked off the champs; they know they can beat anybody. This is not a Cinderella story; this is as solidly built a hockey team as you will find left in these playoffs. The disrespect in the market is real, but we are going to try and take advantage of the inflated prices being offered on the Kraken across the board. There is no better value to be had out West tonight, in the series, or to win the Stanley Cup.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------