NHL Betting Guide: Wednesday 4/12/23

The NHL's playoff race isn't taking a day off. All three games on Wednesday have postseason consequences.

What's the best way to bet them?

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals come from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Dallas Stars at St. Louis Blues

Stars -1.5 (+142)

This might be a giant net cast by collective sportsbooks, but there is nothing tangible on paper that points against Dallas tonight.

In need of a win, the Stars hold every advantage over the St. Louis Blues, who -- with proper luck -- might be a bottom-five team in hockey at the moment.

Since March 1st, Dallas has totaled 3.05 expected goals scored (xGF) per 60 minutes. St. Louis lags behind at 2.63 xGF per 60. The Stars have also allowed the fifth-fewest xG per 60 (2.61) in that span. The Blues are 10th from the bottom (3.27) in that category.

Then you reach the largest chasm between these two squads -- in goal. Jake Oettinger is a top-10 goalie in goals saved above expectation (20.47 GSAx) this season. Jordan Binnington (-8.98 GSAx) ranks 91st of 102 goalies to make an appearance this year.

With motivation also in Big D's direction, this amount of juice with us potentially needing just a late empty-net goal seems a little absurd.