by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Feb 18, 2023
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Where to watch: BSSW, BSOH
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Stars -265, Blue Jackets +225
FanDuel: Stars -280, Blue Jackets +220
BetMGM: NL
Caesars: Stars -270, Blue Jackets +215
Season record
Blue Jackets: 17-34-4
Stars: 30-14-12
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Blue Jackets - Stars preview, prediction and analysis
Recent results
Blue Jackets: won 3-1 vs. Jets
Stars: lost 2-1 (SO) at Wild
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be playing the Dallas Stars on Saturday, February 18 in Dallas, Texas.
The Columbus Blue Jackets won against the Winnipeg Jets last Thursday, February 16 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio with a score of 3-1. The Columbus Blue Jackets currently rank 8th in the Metropolitan Division.
Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (17-34-4), who had lost five of six (1-4-1).
"The bye week [last week] was good for us," Laine said. "Everyone could look in the mirror and think about what they want to do the rest of the year. We need to try and build momentum for next year, show these young guys what winning hockey is. Try to learn it now so we're ready for next year."
Kyle Connor gave the Jets a 1-0 lead on the power play at 19:58 of the first period when he scored from the right dot off a pass from Blake Wheeler for his 25th goal of the season. Laine tied it 1-1 at 10:00 of the second period on a power play when his shot from the left circle went to the upper-right corner for his 15th goal but first in eight games. He has three goals in two games this season against his former team.
"Our power play was pretty good tonight," Laine said. "We probably could have had a couple more."
Kent Johnson gave Columbus a 2-1 lead at 9:40 of the third period with a shot from the right face-off circle that surprised Rittich. Johnson faked a pass to the slot before scoring his 12th goal through the pads 10 seconds after a Blue Jackets power play expired.
"I was looking for a pass and didn't want to force one through the seam," Johnson said. "I thought I could surprise the goalie there. It wasn't a hard shot. If he sees it, he probably saves it. I didn't even see it go in."
Boone Jenner scored into an empty net with three seconds left for the 3-1 final.
Korpisalo made 14 saves in the third period.
"The guys did a good job letting me see the puck, blocking shots," he said.
"It wasn't the start we wanted, but our goalie kept us in it," Columbus coach Brad Larsen said. "There was nothing going on in that period. All the best teams, you watch them, and they have periods like that. They do. But one goal is a lot different than three. You get some momentum, and you're one shot away."
The Columbus Blue Jackets have won four of their last 10 games.
The Dallas Stars lost against the Minnesota Wild on Friday, February 17 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 2-1 in a shootout. The Dallas Stars currently rank 1st in the Central Division.
Jamie Benn scored, and Jake Oettinger made 31 saves for Dallas (30-14-12), which has lost three in a row (0-1-2) and plays the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
"It was a great game," Oettinger said. "[Gustavsson] is a great goalie, made some huge saves. It felt like a playoff game. They're a great team over there. They're going to be a tough team to beat in a seven-game series. It's tight out there. I had the chance to end the game in the shootout and I didn't do it."
Zuccarello gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 6:37 of the third period, deflecting a pass from Boldy on the power play. Benn tied it 1-1 at 10:24 on a shot from a sharp angle on the left off a pass from Wyatt Johnston from behind the net for his third goal in four games.
"We played a [heck] of a road game against a tough, desperate team," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "We didn't get the extra point, but you can't throw out all the good work we did, and that's the story. There's a lot of good stuff there. We battled hard against a real desperate team. That team needs to win that game. I thought we had lots of chances and fought back, got behind, so a lot of good stuff."
The Dallas Stars have won four of their last 10 games.
Prediction
Dallas lost a chance to win with Oettinger. Going home with Scott Wedgewood, against Columbus, isn't too bad of a fallback. Stars 3, Blue Jackets 1
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be playing the Dallas Stars on Saturday, February 18 in Dallas, Texas.
The Columbus Blue Jackets won against the Winnipeg Jets last Thursday, February 16 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio with a score of 3-1. The Columbus Blue Jackets currently rank 8th in the Metropolitan Division.
Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (17-34-4), who had lost five of six (1-4-1).
"The bye week [last week] was good for us," Laine said. "Everyone could look in the mirror and think about what they want to do the rest of the year. We need to try and build momentum for next year, show these young guys what winning hockey is. Try to learn it now so we're ready for next year."
Kyle Connor gave the Jets a 1-0 lead on the power play at 19:58 of the first period when he scored from the right dot off a pass from Blake Wheeler for his 25th goal of the season. Laine tied it 1-1 at 10:00 of the second period on a power play when his shot from the left circle went to the upper-right corner for his 15th goal but first in eight games. He has three goals in two games this season against his former team.
"Our power play was pretty good tonight," Laine said. "We probably could have had a couple more."
Kent Johnson gave Columbus a 2-1 lead at 9:40 of the third period with a shot from the right face-off circle that surprised Rittich. Johnson faked a pass to the slot before scoring his 12th goal through the pads 10 seconds after a Blue Jackets power play expired.
"I was looking for a pass and didn't want to force one through the seam," Johnson said. "I thought I could surprise the goalie there. It wasn't a hard shot. If he sees it, he probably saves it. I didn't even see it go in."
Boone Jenner scored into an empty net with three seconds left for the 3-1 final.
Korpisalo made 14 saves in the third period.
"The guys did a good job letting me see the puck, blocking shots," he said.
"It wasn't the start we wanted, but our goalie kept us in it," Columbus coach Brad Larsen said. "There was nothing going on in that period. All the best teams, you watch them, and they have periods like that. They do. But one goal is a lot different than three. You get some momentum, and you're one shot away."
The Columbus Blue Jackets have won four of their last 10 games.
The Dallas Stars lost against the Minnesota Wild on Friday, February 17 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 2-1 in a shootout. The Dallas Stars currently rank 1st in the Central Division.
Jamie Benn scored, and Jake Oettinger made 31 saves for Dallas (30-14-12), which has lost three in a row (0-1-2) and plays the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
"It was a great game," Oettinger said. "[Gustavsson] is a great goalie, made some huge saves. It felt like a playoff game. They're a great team over there. They're going to be a tough team to beat in a seven-game series. It's tight out there. I had the chance to end the game in the shootout and I didn't do it."
Zuccarello gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 6:37 of the third period, deflecting a pass from Boldy on the power play. Benn tied it 1-1 at 10:24 on a shot from a sharp angle on the left off a pass from Wyatt Johnston from behind the net for his third goal in four games.
"We played a [heck] of a road game against a tough, desperate team," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "We didn't get the extra point, but you can't throw out all the good work we did, and that's the story. There's a lot of good stuff there. We battled hard against a real desperate team. That team needs to win that game. I thought we had lots of chances and fought back, got behind, so a lot of good stuff."
The Dallas Stars have won four of their last 10 games.
Prediction
Dallas lost a chance to win with Oettinger. Going home with Scott Wedgewood, against Columbus, isn't too bad of a fallback. Stars 3, Blue Jackets 1
Betting trends
Blue Jackets are 1-11 after 2 straight unders this season.
Blue Jackets are 1-8 after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
Stars are 12-14 in non-conference games this season.
Projected lines
Blue Jackets:
Johnny Gaudreau -- Boone Jenner -- Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson -- Cole Sillinger -- Patrik Laine
Eric Robinson -- Sean Kuraly -- Mathieu Olivier
Liam Foudy -- Jack Roslovic -- Emil Bemstrom
Tim Berni -- Erik Gudbranson
Nick Blankenburg -- Andrew Peeke
Gavin Bayreuther -- Adam Boqvist
Elvis Merzlikins
Johnny Gaudreau -- Boone Jenner -- Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson -- Cole Sillinger -- Patrik Laine
Eric Robinson -- Sean Kuraly -- Mathieu Olivier
Liam Foudy -- Jack Roslovic -- Emil Bemstrom
Tim Berni -- Erik Gudbranson
Nick Blankenburg -- Andrew Peeke
Gavin Bayreuther -- Adam Boqvist
Elvis Merzlikins
Stars:
Jason Robertson -- Roope Hintz -- Joe Pavelski
Mason Marchment -- Radek Faksa -- Tyler Seguin
Jamie Benn -- Wyatt Johnston -- Ty Dellandrea
Fredrik Karlstrom -- Luke Glendening -- Denis Gurianov
Miro Heiskanen -- Colin Miller
Ryan Suter -- Nils Lundkvist
Esa Lindell -- Jani Hakanpaa
Scott Wedgewood
Jason Robertson -- Roope Hintz -- Joe Pavelski
Mason Marchment -- Radek Faksa -- Tyler Seguin
Jamie Benn -- Wyatt Johnston -- Ty Dellandrea
Fredrik Karlstrom -- Luke Glendening -- Denis Gurianov
Miro Heiskanen -- Colin Miller
Ryan Suter -- Nils Lundkvist
Esa Lindell -- Jani Hakanpaa
Scott Wedgewood
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
