NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Stars vs Canucks (Saturday, November 4)

Saturday, Nov. 4

10 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Stars Odds	-125
Canucks Odds	+105
Over / Under	6 -120 / +100

Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NHL odds here.

A lot was expected of Dallas this season, but the Stars have still managed to exceed those expectations with a 7-1-1 start. They aren't the only team turning heads, though. Vancouver is 7-2-1 after a commanding 10-1 victory over San Jose on Thursday.

At first glance, there's no clear favorite. So, let's look a little closer and make a Stars vs. Canucks prediction.

If I had to summarize Dallas in a single word, it would be "complete." Goaltender Jake Oettinger is deservingly the headliner of this team. He's been dominate for years now and is continuing that trend with a 5-0-1 record, a 1.95 GAA and a .939 save percentage this season. However, the Stars are 4-1-0 in games in which they've surrendered three or more goals in regulation, proving they aren't dependent on elite goaltending.

Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski and Jason Robertson would each fit right in as the top forward on almost any other team, so the fact that Dallas has all three is quite a luxury. Additionally, Jamie Benn has shown that his 2022-23 resurgence wasn't a one off as he's provided three goals and nine points through nine contests.

The Stars also inked Matt Duchene over the summer. He was held off the scoresheet during Dallas' opening four contests, but enters Saturday's action on a five-game point streak. Wyatt Johnston has been a steady contributor with three goals and seven points this year. Even Evgenii Dadonov has started to heat up as he's scored three times over his past five outings.

Tyler Seguin is the only forward who has underwhelmed with Dallas thus far. He has a goal and four points in nine contests, which isn't great, but it's been a while since the Stars have relied on him to carry the offense.

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Even with all those offensive weapons, Dallas' attack is still nothing compared to Vancouver's. To be fair, no team matches up to the Canucks' 4.60 goals per game. Sure, that's inflated after a blowout over the lowly Sharks, but Vancouver has scored at least five goals in half its games.

Elias Pettersson is off to an unreal start with five goals and 19 points in 10 contests. To put that into context, Dallas' top two scorers, Hintz and Pavelski, have combined for 21 points. There are also three teams — Washington, St. Louis and San Jose — that have scored fewer goals than Pettersson has points.

But the Canucks aren't a one-man show — far from it. They have five players with double-digit point totals and 12 players who have scored multiple goals. Their top three goal scorers — Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller and Pettersson — have found the back of the net a combined 19 times.

Alone, that amazing offense would be enough to justify Vancouver's 7-2-1 start, but Thatcher Demko has also been fantastic in net, posting a 1.79 GAA and a .940 save percentage through seven contests.

It's hard to know if Vancouver can keep this up because the Canucks certainly didn't enter the season with these kinds of expectations. However, there's little to complain about with the team thus far.

This should be a fun match to watch, but it's a tricky one to bet. Vancouver is priced as a slight favorite at home, but Dallas is off to a 4-0-1 start on the road.

Rather than backing either team, I like the Over of 6.5 goals. That offers a higher possible payout and given the quality of these offenses, especially Vancouver's, I think it's fair to expect that it'll be a tough night for goaltenders — even high-end ones. It's also worth noting that Vancouver has traditionally fared well against Oettinger. The Stars' goaltender has a 4.78 GAA and an .829 save percentage in three career appearances against the Canucks.

Pick: Over 6.5 Goals | Play to +100

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