Dallas Stars vs Seattle Kraken Blackout Dallas series predictions

The Blackout Dallas writers are back with their round 2 predictions as the Dallas Stars take on the Seattle Kraken later tonight. The Stars have had a couple of days off as they awaited the winner of Colorado vs Seattle. With the team refreshed and focused for round 2, this will be an exciting series. Each of us have a different take on how this series will go down for the Stars. Without further to do, here is each of our predictions on how the Stars are going to do in round 2.

Blackout Dallas Predictions: Mahima Masih, Blackout Dallas Contributor-Stars in 5

The Dallas Stars will face off against the Seattle Kraken in the second round of the 2023 playoffs. Their first round against the Minnesota Wild was heavily defined by dangerous hits, physicality, and an overwhelming number of penalties. The upcoming series against the Kraken looks to be a test of depth.

Dallas is not a one-line team anymore. A major change from the Bowness era to the DeBoer era is increased production throughout the lineup. Whether that’s coming from the forwards lines or Miro Heiskanen fully exploding into a superstar, it’s clear that the top line is not the only line worth defending.

The Stars’ depth shone through against Minnesota. Contributions from newer acquisitions like Evgenii Dadonov and Mason Marchment became important. It also seems like Joe Pavelski may start on a line with Marchment and Max Domi Not only does this create more options but getting Pavelski back is a huge x-factor for the Stars.

On the Kraken’s side, it seems like Philipp Grubauer found his game again. That could be partially fueled by revenge against his old team, but Jake Oettinger has proven he’s a force to be reckoned with especially in the playoffs.

Looking at the head-to-head results from this season, the Stars won two games against Seattle and lost the third game in overtime which earned them five out of six available points.When the Stars play like they want to win, they often put together a beautiful clinic of determined hockey. I say the Stars will win in five games.

Blackout Dallas Predictions: Giovanna Mengarelli, Blackout Dallas Contributor- Stars in 7

The Dallas Stars closed out an epic series against the Minnesota Wild. Their next opponent just so happens to be the Seattle Kraken and boy do we have a battle ahead of us. In each of their series games against the Colorado Avalanche, the Kraken scored first and while it wasn’t a sweet, they certainly gave it their all and gave the Lanche a run for their money. Dallas vs. Kraken is going to be a blood bath.

I think that Dallas is going to take this series, but it won’t be easy, so Dallas in 7 games is what the future holds. However, Dallas can make good use of their Power Plays with many of their goals being on Power Plays during the first series. So that being said, they could win in less than 7, but for now, 7 games is where this series seems to be headed. Game 1 is set for May 2nd, 2023, and for the first game of the series, the Dallas Stars will get their first dub of Round Two with a 3-2 victory in overtime.

Blackout Dallas Predictions: Nick Lacoste, Blackout Dallas Contributor-Stars in 5

The Dallas Stars can beat the Seattle Kraken in the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Seattle’s offense is less defined than Minnesota’s, as shown through their ‘offense by committee’ approach with six 20-goal scorers in the regular season as opposed to star players that are supposed to act as game-changers like Kirill Kaprizov failed to this playoffs.

You can out-chance a team and get lucky. You can also out-chance a team and come up short, which is how I believe this series will go. I expect Jake Oettinger to be a huge reason behind the Dallas Stars’ second-round outcome, and Dallas may win the series entirely on the ‘quality shot’ standpoint as well as their powerplay as opposed to any even-strength shot quantity advantages that Seattle may have.

Further to Seattle’s balanced lineup, the team’s unique mixture of skilled threats throughout their lineup may hinder the Dallas Stars coaching staff’s ability to play the ‘line matching game’ with Miro Heiskanen to best help Dallas’ defense. I expect Heiskanen to continue to play ~30 minutes per game and I wonder if fatigue could negatively affect his mental decision-making in key moments. I hope to be proven wrong.

Overall, there are few weak links in Seattle’s roster, but there are also few superstars in that lineup like playoff points leader Roope Hintz and currently-quiet Jason Robertson who could strike at any moment and destroy any underdog hopes from Seattle fans.

Blackout Dallas Predictions: Caleb Garrison, Blackout Dallas Contributor-Stars in 6

After taming the Wild, the Stars look to make a dish of fried kalamari out of the Seattle Kraken. These trials of squid games should serve as season 2 of the hit Netflix series, because this team’s success is proof of an unpredictable series of games culminating with an unlikely foe.

The elite talent Colorado boasts was unable to vanquish the depth that Seattle hosts, an interchangeable group of balanced forwards with a similarly even defense core of 6 worthy competitors. What does that mean for our local rag-tag bunch of, mostly finnish, interstellar warriors?

Let’s start with what they haven’t shown, the capability to shut down elite talent. Despite winning the series, Mackinnon & Rantanen feasted (over a ppg) amidst a lack of showstopping defense. With Pavelski returning to the top line and Robo overcoming the Minnesota pressure towards the end of the first round, I would expect them to get back to top form against Seattle.

Something else missing from their game is an offensive playmaker, someone that elevates their teammates to play above their paygrade. The reason for this is a credit to how the NHL allowed them to build their roster.

They’ve gutted the NHL of all their mid-level talent via expansion draft, creating a depth-only roster while the rest of the league has less. I’m sure Pittsburgh would love to still have Jared McCann even more than we’d like to still have Jamie Oleksiak, but the expansion draft taketh away and… well, just taketh away.

With this depth, they’ve turned a starless squad into 60-minute onslaught of solid play that can suffocate an offense as powerful as Colorado’s. For this reason, I believe the series will be more competitive than a lot of us are giving it credit for. 6 games will look like they’re played in quicksand and that’s how many it will take the Stars to overcome Seattle.

Blackout Dallas Predictions: Brian Sweet, Blackout Dallas Site Expert-Stars in 5

The Seattle Kraken just finished up a seven round fight with the Colorado Avalanche. They are going to be super tired from that series. The Stars have got to take advantage of that as they are four games away from being in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2020 in the bubble. The Stars have a ton of veterans still from that team that want to get back to the plateau known as the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Stars really have to worry about Oliver Bjorkstrand. He has started to produce late in the series against Colorado and it could bite the Stars in the behind if they don’t crack down on him. They also need to crack down on Calder Trophy finalist Matty Beniers who has played lights out as a rookie. I expect the defense to really crack down on these two players to help out Jake Oettinger. He has been unconscious in goal so that will really help the Stars shut down this Kraken offense.

Roope Hintz is on fire right now as the top point player in the playoffs right now. Jason Robertson is looking like he’s heating up after game 6 against the Minnesota Wild. Even Evgenii Dadonov has contributed in the last series against the Wild. Right now, the Stars are like a train without brakes right now and with the west wide open, they could be back in the Stanley Cup Finals this season. With Joe Pavelski coming back from his concussion, this team is the most complete team in the Western Conference. That’s why I think the Seattle Kraken have no shot and this will be over in 5.