The Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars face off in Tampere, Finland, for what is shaping up to be an exciting Global Series matchup. Matchups like these bring NHL action to an international stage.
Both teams enter the game with fairly strong records, and now they get to showcase their skills on foreign ice.
Here’s a look at the odds, key insights, and our best bet for this game.
Moneyline: Panthers -110 | Stars -110
Point Spread: Panthers -1.5 (+200) | Stars +1.5 (-250)
Total Points: Over 6 (-110) | Under 6 (-110)
With both teams at -110 on the moneyline, oddsmakers see this matchup as a close toss-up — and rightfully so.
Both the Panthers (7-3-1) and the Stars (7-2) have started the season relatively strong. This makes this an unpredictable showdown that could go either way.
So far, bettors are slightly favoring the Stars in terms of the percentage of bets (62%) and money (55%) on the moneyline, but it's tight enough to consider a close contest. However, we think there are a few things that could tilt this game one way.
The Panthers are atop the Atlantic Division. They’re coming into this game with a solid 7-3-1 record.
Their defensive performance has been one of the best in the league as they’ve allowed an average of 2.34 goals per game, which is currently the league's lowest. On the offensive side of the ice, they’re generating 3.31 goals per game, ranking them 10th overall which is still not too bad.
Key players like Sam Reinhart (7 goals, 8 assists) and Sam Bennett (4 goals, 9 assists) have been some of the biggest contributors to the Panthers' success. Sergei Bobrovsky has also been fairly reliable between the pipes with a .892 save percentage and 5 wins, though his 2.97 goals-against average tells us that the Panthers are relying more on defense than simply goaltending alone.
Injuries could impact Florida’s depth, however. Jonah Gadjovich, Justin Sourdif, and Tomas Nosek are all currently on the injured list and won’t be suiting up with the team. Although they aren’t core players, these absences do slightly weaken their lineup.
The Stars come in with a slightly better 7-2 record, trailing only the Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division.
Their offense has been nothing less than dominant, ranking second in the league with 3.62 goals per game.
Defensively, they’re allowing an average of 2.98 goals per game — not as tight as the Panthers but good enough and will definitely make it a challenge for the Panthers.
Dallas is leaning heavily on the offensive dominance of Matt Duchene (5 goals, 15 shots) and Logan Stankoven (8 assists). Goaltender Jake Oettinger has been a game-changer, as expected, sporting a .938 save percentage and 1.84 GAA over 5 wins putting him 4th overall in the NHL. Oettinger’s impressive history gives Dallas a strong edge in goaltending over Florida, particularly if the game turns into a back-and-forth defensive battle.
Historically, the Panthers hold a slight edge over the Stars with a record of 26-21-3-2. Their most recent game saw Florida narrowly win 5-4. If history tells us anything, we think we could see another high-scoring game.
Here are a few things we noticed when looking at the trends—
Over 1.5 goals in the first period have been hit in the Panthers' last 5 games against teams on a winning streak. They’re hitting early and often.
4 of the last 5 Stars games have seen the underdog come out on top. Just something to consider.
The last 6 night games between these teams have hit the over on total goals. It’s a night game for them, but it’ll be mid-day for us here in the States.
With both teams boasting powerful offenses and this recent trend favoring the over, we expect plenty of scoring chances.
The international setting adds an element of unpredictability. There’s not really a home-ice advantage. However, this matchup tilts slightly in Dallas’ favor due to Jake Oettinger’s superior goaltending and the Stars' high-octane offense.
The Panthers’ defense is nothing less than impressive, but Dallas’s forward line has been dominant and relentless, and if Oettinger performs at his current level, he should be able to keep the Panthers’ scoring in check.
Best Bet: Dallas Stars -110 on the Moneyline
While this could be close, Dallas has the edge in goal with Oettinger and a slightly deeper offense. Given their recent successes and the neutral venue, taking the Stars to win straight up offers pretty good value.
For those looking for even more sports betting action, you might want to take the Over 6 on total points. Both teams have been involved in high-scoring games recently, and Finland’s crowd might witness an offensive showcase.