The Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars meet Thursday in NHL action at the American Airlines Center. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.

Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Preview 

The Toronto Maple Leafs look for a third straight home win to improve to 5-2 on the season. The Maple Leafs have won 2 of their first 3 road games. The Toronto Maple Leafs are averaging 3.67 goals per game and are scoring on 35 percent of their power play opportunities. Auston Matthews leads Toronto with 7 goals, John Tavares has 7 assists and William Nylander has 24 shots on goal. Defensively, the Toronto Maple Leafs are allowing 3.33 goals per game and are killing 75 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Ilya Samsonov has allowed 14 goals on 83 shots faced, while Jospeh Woll has given up 4 goals on 96 shots.

Toronto Maple Leafs Team Facts

• The Maple Leafs have won seven of their last eight games as underdogs against the Stars.
• The Maple Leafs have covered the puck line in each of their last 10 games as underdogs against opponents on a winning streak.
• The Maple Leafs have won the second period in each of their last six games at American Airlines Center.
• The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Maple Leafs’ last four games at American Airlines Center.

Dallas Stars Betting Preview 

The Dallas Stars look for a fourth straight win to build on their 4-0-1 start to the season. The Stars have won their first two home games. The Dallas Stars are averaging 3 goals per game and are scoring on 12.5 percent of their power play opportunities. Joe Pavelski leads Dallas with 3 goals, Wyatt Johnston has 3 assists and Roope Hintz has 14 shots on goal. Defensively, the Dallas Stars are allowing 2 goals per game and are killing 100 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jake Oettinger has allowed 6 goals on 126 shots faced, and Scott Wedgewood has given up 4 goals on 40 shots.

Dallas Stars Team Facts

• The Stars have won each of their last 10 Thursday games at American Airlines Center.
• The underdogs have covered the puck line in 12 of the Stars’ last 13 games.
• The underdogs have won the third period in seven of the last eight games between the Maple Leafs and Stars at American Airlines Center.
• The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Stars’ last five games following a road win.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Dallas Stars ranks 1st in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (100.00%).
• The Dallas Stars ranks T3rd in the league for goals against per game this season (2.00).
• The Toronto Maple Leafs ranks 4th in the league in power play percentage this season (35.00%).
• The Toronto Maple Leafs ranks T2nd in the league for shots per game this season (35.0).

Randy’s Pick

The Dallas Stars are going to be slight favorites because they’re at home, and there’s something to be said about a team that’s earned points in every game so far this season. With that said, both teams are on fire out of the gate and I find value in getting plus money on either side. It also doesn’t hurt that the Maple Leafs have won 4 straight games against the Stars and 8 of the last 10 meetings against them overall. This could possibly be the game of the night on a loaded NHL card. I want the plus money with the Maple Leafs.