Chicago is one of the top Stanley Cup picks this year, but they’ve struggled at home lately. The Blackhawks will welcome their old rivals from Dallas to town on Friday, and the Stars will begin a three-game road trip in Chicago. When the Stars were in Minnesota, this was an old-time hockey rivalry, and things could get exciting as both are jockeying for positions at opposite ends of the playoff spectrum.

Dallas Stars vs Chicago Blackhawks odds – Tuesday, February 9, 8:30 PM ET

The Stars have won four of their last six games, and their last game resulted in a 4-0 shutout over Phoenix on Saturday night. Jamie Benn notched a pair of goals with singles from James Neal and Loui Eriksson, while Marty Turco stopped all 34 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season. Turco has allowed just four goals in his last three starts, and with his impending contract expiration, he could be looking to earn an extension to keep him in Dallas for the rest of his career.

The Blackhawks stopped a three-game slide with a 2-1 win in St. Louis, and Antti Niemi returned from a bout with the flu to stop 34 shots for the Blackhawks, who also got goals from Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews. The potent Chicago offense hasn’t scored more than two goals in their last four games, which is the reason for their recent slide, and they’re looking to take some momentum into the Olympic break with them as they have home games against Dallas and Atlanta, followed by a road game in Columbus. But the offense will take care of itself. The biggest question that the Blackhawks need to answer is in between the pipes. Who will the Blackhawks lean on when it gets closer to the playoffs, Niemi or Cristobal Huet?

The sportsbook odds (betus reviews) should favor the Blackhawks at the United Center, but they dropped two games at home to St. Louis and Phoenix last week. The Blackhawks have won six of their last 10 against the Stars, who have lost five of their last seven in the Windy City. The Stars are looking to sneak past Detroit into the playoff picture, and this game will be won between the pipes. When Turco gets hot, he can shut down anyone in the league, and the Chicago offense has had their problems lately. With a young team like the Blackhawks, it’s easy to get into a funk, but tougher to get out of it. It looks like they need to get to the break and recharge, while Dallas is probably wishing it weren’t for another couple of weeks.

Hockey betting picks: Dallas Stars

Grab discounted NHL jerseys and swag on Amazon.com by clicking here.

Check out NHL Greatest Moments on DVD by clicking here.

Order the NHL 10 video game by clicking here.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Related posts:

1. NHL Betting – Quiet Tuesday In The NHL
2. NHL Betting – Tuesday Game Previews
3. NHL Betting – Stanley Cup hopefuls meet in Washington
4. NBA Betting – Billups returns to the Motor City
5. Sports Betting Preview – Rangers, Devils renew hostilities