Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights NHL West Finals Odds, Time, and Prediction

Vegas Golden Knights will have the home advantage at the start of the series with Game 1 being played on their turf. The Dallas Stars, however, have some good memories from their trips to Vegas, having defeated the Golden Knights in their last two duels at T-Mobile Arena. Can they do it again?

*Odds taken from BetUS on Thursday, May 18, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Date: Friday, May 19, 2023
• Time: 8:30 PM
• How to Watch: ESPN

Vegas Golden Knights Plotting Revenge for 2020 Loss

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and three years seems long enough of a wait for the Vegas Golden Knights to get their payback. It was 2020 when they lost the Western Conference Finals to the Dallas Stars, and now, they seem more than ready to get ahold of the Campbell Bowl. If they do it, it’s going to be the second conference title in the history of the franchise.

The first time the Golden Knights won the West was in 2018, just a year after the foundation of the club. However, they failed to win the Stanley Cup – the Washington Capitals defeated them 4-1 in the Finals.

This year, Vegas boys are determined to get ahold of the holy grail of hockey. Their eyes are already set on the 2023 Stanley Cup, but to get there, they need to deal with the Dallas Stars first. Luckily, they seem to have the manpower to cruise past the boys from Texas.

The Golden Knights have an incredible roster this season, with Jack Eichel being their standout player. He’s been brilliant throughout the season, but it was the start of the playoffs when he really switched up a gear. He’s already scored six goals and recorded eight assists since the start of the postseason (11 games).

Jonathan Marchessault has also been great, along with several other Vegas forwards. The Golden Knights have also been decent in the defense, but there are some worries ahead of Game 1 of the Western Finals. Two of their goalies – Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit – are struggling with fitness and are likely to miss Friday’s match. Can the Dallas Stars take advantage of this?

Dallas Stars Love Playing in Vegas

The Dallas Stars won each of their three duels with the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2022-23 NHL season. Their first game of the season took place in Vegas in January and the visitors won 4-0. The two met again a month later, and the Stars won again.

This time, however, it was a much tougher game – the Dallas boys won after a shootout. Their most recent game went to penalties as well, and the Stars won once again.

Roope Hintz was excellent in those three games, which is no surprise as he’s been fantastic this whole season. In fact, he got himself 75 points in the regular season (37 goals and 38 assists), which is pretty decent. However, since the start of the postseason, this guy’s been way, way better.

With 19 points to his name so far (9 goals and 10 assists), he’s second in the NHL Player Skating Stats leaderboard, just behind Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers who got knocked out by the Golden Knights in the previous phase of the competition.

Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights Game 1 Prediction

Both teams are fantastic offensively, which is why it’s only logical to assume that we’re going to witness a super-exciting game on Friday. We’re bound to see plenty of goals on the offense, with the winner possibly being decided in overtime. So, who’s it going to be? Our guess is Vegas.

Picks: Vegas Golden Knights to win (moneyline) & over 5.5 goals