Welcome to the latest edition of NHL Predictions. In this series, our team here at Last Word on Hockey breaks down head-to-head matchups and other key elements that may influence the outcome of each game each day. This edition of NHL Predictions looks at the Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 matchup between the Dallas Stars and the Vancouver Canucks.<\/p>\n
Time:<\/strong> 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)<\/p>\n TV:<\/strong> Victory+, ESPN+, SportsNet+<\/p>\n The Dallas Stars and the Vancouver Canucks face off for the final time this season as Dallas goes for a sweep of Vancouver at home. The Stars have won both meetings against the Canucks this season, outscoring them 9-4.<\/p>\n Dallas forwards Roope Hintz<\/a> and Jason Robertson<\/a> led the team to a 5-3 victory in late January<\/a>. The Stars were tied with the Canucks 1-1 in the second period, but a Robertson power-play goal put Dallas in front. Hintz added two goals in the third and Robertson scored an empty-netter to keep Vancouver at bay.<\/p>\n Robertson was part of the winning effort in Game 2 as well. He score his 28th goal of the season in the third period. Newly acquired trade additions Mikael Granlund<\/a> and Miko Rantanen also scored goals, while Vancouver defenceman Derek Forbort<\/a> had the Canucks’ only tally in a 4-1 game.<\/p>\n Vancouver needs a win to keep its slim playoff hopes<\/a> alive, while Dallas looks to make up ground on the Winnipeg Jets. Who will get a crucial victory? NHL Predictions dives in.<\/p>\n The Stars<\/a> had won seven games in a row before a late defensive blunder and an empty-net goal cost them Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh<\/a>. Dallas was looking to put pressure on Winnipeg, which lost later that night. However, the Stars grabbed a point with an overtime loss to Minnesota on Sunday and now trail the Jets by just three points.<\/p>\n Still, Dallas has not played well over the last few games and needs to fix things before the playoffs. This game will begin its final homestand of the regular season, which consists of three games, including a big matchup with Winnipeg on Thursday.<\/p>\n On the positive side, many players like Hintz, Robertson, Granlund, Wyatt Johnston<\/a>, and Thomas Harley<\/a> have continued to impress offensively. Dallas has also gotten superb play from its goaltenders, which can be a huge advantage once the postseason rolls around.<\/p>\n Vancouver<\/a> has not officially been eliminated from the playoffs, but it faces a huge deficit. The Canucks are eight points behind for the final Western Conference wild card spot and also have to fight off Calgary and Utah down the stretch.<\/p>\n The Canucks enter this match up losers of the two of their last three and have been prone to allowing plenty of goals for much of the season.<\/p>\n Defenceman Quinn Hughes<\/a> leads Vancouver with 72 points, while Brock Boeser<\/a> (49 points) and Elias Pettersson<\/a> (45 points) have been its best forwards. Veterans Jake DeBrusk<\/a> and Pius Suter<\/a> have each eclipsed the 20-goal mark to add an extra punch to the offence.<\/p>\n After two tough losses, Dallas will come into this game as hungry as it has been in quite some time. The Stars have already secured their playoff spot, but there’s still plenty to play for, and having home ice advantage over the next few games is a significant benefit. Dallas has Vancouver outmatched, even with injuries on both sides, and has the skill in its lineup to make this a difficult game for the Canucks.<\/p>\nThe Stars Story<\/h3>\n
The Canucks Story<\/h3>\n
NHL Prediction<\/h3>\n