Dallas vs Columbus: the Stars to prove a contender by winning 6th match in a row

Dallas won 5 games in a row and now will take on Columbus at home. Will Rick Bowness's team be able to extend the successful streak, or will the Blue Jackets create a sensation? We'll pick a few options to bet on at once.

At the start of the season, it was obvious that Dallas wasn't physically ready to consistently produce results. But even then, despite it being tough, the Texans often finished games tied in regulation time, losing only in overtime and shootout series. Then, by the end of the first quarter of the championship, the Stars gained enough form, as one should expect from a team that sets their sights high. Rick Bowness's team is approaching the game against Columbus not simply with a 5 game winning streak but with 7 of their last 8 games won in regulation time. The Texas system is working!

In their last game, Dallas handily defeated a top-5 team in the Eastern Conference, Carolina at home, thus congratulating their coach. Rick Bowness played his 2,500th game as a coach (not just head coach) in the NHL. That's a record.

The match in Dallas will be the Blue Jackets' 3rd away game in a row. Brad Larsen's team lost the first two. First, Columbus failed to beat St. Louis 3-6, conceding three pucks each in the second and third periods. Then they were defeated by Nashville 0-6, unable to do anything with the Predators' first line. Filip Forsberg scored a puck and Mikael Granlund had 4 assists. In Columbus, almost all members of the 2nd - 4th lines received -2 in their match with the Predators, and in particular, it was Alexandre Texier who was noted for ending the game with a plus-minus rating of -3.

Overall, there is nothing catastrophic for Columbus. The team's level is well known, so their road failures are no surprise. In addition, the Blue Jackets won 5 out of 6 games before going on tour. All in all, Columbus has 12 wins in 20 games and is in the playoff race, which is already good.

• Dallas: Ben Bishop – not playing;
• Columbus: Emil Bemstrom, Dean Kukan, Patrik Laine – not playing.

The opponents have managed to hold 1 face-off in the current season: Columbus beat Dallas at home, 4-1.

Last season, the rivals played 8 games against each other. Dallas won 5 times, including 3 of 4 on home ice.

After 0-6 in Nashville, Columbus, of course, will treat the upcoming match as responsibly as possible. But what's the use, if Dallas is now in such crazy form. The Stars have won five straight in regulation time and are unlikely to give up on extending that streak.

Prediction: Rick Bowness' team will once again confirm their status as a true Western Conference contender.

• Dallas To Win In Regulation Time for 1.80;
• Handicap Dallas (-1.5) for 2.10;
• Handicap Dallas (-3) for 5.25.