The Dallas Stars (21-13-1) welcome the Ottawa Senators (19-15-2) to the American Airlines Center on Thursday night in what promises to be an intriguing cross-conference matchup.

The Stars enter the contest riding momentum from their impressive 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks, while the Senators come in fresh off a confidence-boosting 3-1 win against the Wild.

Dallas's formidable defense, anchored by goaltender Jake Oettinger's 2.38 goals-against average, will face a stern test against Ottawa's potent offense led by Brady Tkachuk's 16 goals and Tim Stutzle's team-leading 40 points.

Both teams have shown strong offensive capabilities this season, with Dallas averaging 3.2 goals per game and Ottawa maintaining a dangerous power play unit that converts 25% of their opportunities.

The historical edge at American Airlines Center belongs to the Stars, who have claimed victory in four of their last five home meetings against the Senators.

As these teams prepare to face off, several key factors could influence the outcome, including Dallas's top-ranked penalty kill unit (84.6%) and Ottawa's adjustment to playing without injured goalkeeper Linus Ullmark.

Dallas Stars vs. Ottawa Senators: who will win?

For tonight's Dallas Stars vs Ottawa Senators matchup, our predictive model gives the Stars a 57.33% chance of defeating the Senators.

Dallas Stars: 57.33% win probability

  • Superior defensive efficiency (91 goals against in 36 games)
  • Better points-per-game ratio (1.25 points per game)
  • Strong home position in Central Division (4th place with 45 points)

Ottawa Senators: 42.67% win probability

  • Lower win percentage (19 wins in 36 games)
  • Weaker goal differential (+7 compared to Stars' +25)
  • Inconsistent road performance (8th place in Eastern Conference)

At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.

Dallas Stars vs. Ottawa Senators odds

Dallas StarsOttawa Senators
moneyline-195 (via Caesars Sportsbook)+165 (via bet365 US)

Key stats

  • 1
    The Dallas Stars have won 22 out of 36 matches this season.
  • 2
    The Ottawa Senators have won 19 out of 36 matches this season.
  • 3
    With 45 points, the Dallas Stars holds the 7th position in the league standings.
  • 4
    Ottawa Senators's 40 points place them 8th in the rankings.

Dallas Stars vs. Ottawa Senators form

Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
Latest matches
W
W
L
W
L
Victories
3/5 (60%)
Defeats
2/5 (40%)
Jan 1, 2025
Buffalo Sabres2:4Dallas Stars
Dec 30, 2024
Chicago Blackhawks1:5Dallas Stars
Dec 28, 2024
Minnesota Wild3:2Dallas Stars
Dec 24, 2024
Utah Hockey Club2:3Dallas Stars
Dec 21, 2024
New York Rangers3:1Dallas Stars
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
Latest matches
W
L
L
W
W
Victories
3/5 (60%)
Defeats
2/5 (40%)
Dec 30, 2024
Minnesota Wild1:3Ottawa Senators
Dec 29, 2024
Winnipeg Jets4:2Ottawa Senators
Dec 23, 2024
Edmonton Oilers3:1Ottawa Senators
Dec 22, 2024
Vancouver Canucks4:5Ottawa Senators
Dec 20, 2024
Calgary Flames2:3Ottawa Senators

Dallas Stars vs. Ottawa Senators head to head

Dallas Stars

33%

Ottawa Senators

67%

Feb 23, 2024

Ottawa Senators

4 : 1

Dallas Stars

Dec 16, 2023

Dallas Stars

5 : 4

Ottawa Senators

Dec 9, 2022

Dallas Stars

4 : 3

Ottawa Senators

Oct 24, 2022

Ottawa Senators

4 : 2

Dallas Stars

Oct 30, 2021

Dallas Stars

1 : 4

Ottawa Senators

Oct 17, 2021

Ottawa Senators

3 : 2

Dallas Stars