The Dallas Stars (40-19-2) look to extend their impressive three-game winning streak as they welcome the Calgary Flames (29-23-9) to the American Airlines Center on Thursday night in a crucial Western Conference matchup.
Dallas enters the contest as one of the NHL's most balanced teams, ranking fourth in goals scored (3.41 per game) and third in goals against (2.57), while maintaining a dominant 23-7-1 record on home ice this season.
The Flames, coming off an explosive 6-3 victory over Philadelphia that snapped a three-game losing streak, aim to build momentum despite averaging just 2.59 goals per game this season.
Recent history between these teams favors Calgary, who holds a 6-3-1 advantage in their last 10 meetings, though Dallas claimed a convincing 6-2 victory in their most recent encounter this December.
The Stars' high-powered offense, led by Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson, will test a Flames defense that has struggled with consistency throughout the season.
This Western Conference clash promises to deliver intense action as both teams fight to improve their playoff positioning, with Dallas pursuing the Central Division lead and Calgary battling to secure their wild card spot.
Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Dallas Stars vs Calgary Flames matchup, our predictive model gives the Stars a 58.33% chance of defeating the Flames.
Pre-game probabilities
Dallas Stars
Moneyline
Win %
58.33%
41.67%
Calgary Flames
Dallas Stars: 58.33% win probability
- Strong offensive output (210 goals for, 2nd highest in Western Conference)
- Excellent recent form (WWWLW in last 5 games)
- Superior standings position (2nd in Western Conference with 82 points)
Calgary Flames: 41.67% win probability
- Inconsistent scoring (161 goals for, 5th lowest in Pacific Division)
- Poor defensive record (179 goals against, significantly higher than playoff teams)
- Lower standings position (9th in Western Conference with 67 points, 15 points behind Dallas)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Dallas Stars | Calgary Flames | |
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Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames preview
The Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames are set to face off in a crucial Western Conference matchup at the American Airlines Center, where both teams are looking to strengthen their playoff positioning.
The Stars enter the contest riding an impressive three-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven games, showcasing their dominance at home with a stellar 23-7-1 record.
Dallas has been one of the NHL's most complete teams this season, ranking fourth in goals per game (3.41) and third in goals against (2.57), while also boasting the league's top penalty-killing unit at 84.1%.
The Flames, coming off a surprising 6-3 victory over Philadelphia that snapped a three-game losing streak, will need to maintain that offensive momentum against a much stingier Stars defense.
Calgary's offensive struggles this season have been evident, as they're tied for 31st in the league in scoring with just 2.59 goals per game, though young forward Connor Zary showed promise with two goals in their last outing.
Stars' defenseman Thomas Harley enters the game with high confidence after scoring the dramatic game-winning goal with just five seconds remaining in their recent 4-3 victory over New Jersey.
The goaltending matchup should feature Jake Oettinger for Dallas against Calgary's Dustin Wolf, with Oettinger's impressive career record of 142-61-25 giving the Stars a significant advantage between the pipes.
While the Flames hold a 6-3-1 advantage in the last ten meetings between these teams, the Stars dominated their first encounter this season with a convincing 6-2 victory on home ice.
Given Dallas's current form and home-ice advantage, combined with their superior offensive and defensive statistics, the Stars appear poised to extend their winning streak against a Flames team still finding their offensive identity.
Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames form
Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames head to head
Dallas Stars
50%
Calgary Flames
50%
Dec 9, 2024
Dallas Stars
6 : 2
Calgary Flames
Dec 1, 2023
Calgary Flames
4 : 3
Dallas Stars
Nov 25, 2023
Dallas Stars
4 : 7
Calgary Flames
Nov 2, 2023
Calgary Flames
3 : 4
Dallas Stars
Mar 19, 2023
Calgary Flames
5 : 6
Dallas Stars
Mar 7, 2023
Dallas Stars
4 : 5
Calgary Flames
