Posted at 10:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.

Minnesota +125 over Dallas

Game 2 — Dallas leads series 1-0

9:30 PM EST. We have no idea who’s going to win this game, but what we do know is that Minnesota dominated Game 1. They controlled the puck, dictated the pace, and carried play for long stretches. That wasn’t a fluky win or a lucky bounce — it was territorial control from start to finish. When one team drives possession like that in the playoffs, it deserves respect the next time out.

We said it before Game 1 and we’ll say it again: Dallas was the weakest possession team of all 16 playoff teams. They ranked 27th in the league in time of possession in the offensive zone at five-on-five, which is a massive red flag once the postseason begins. Over 82 games, you can survive on shooting percentage, power-play efficiency, and timely saves. In the playoffs, where space tightens and chances shrink, those edges disappear quickly.

Dallas put up big offensive numbers during the regular season, but those numbers were built more on efficiency than control. A high shooting percentage and a lethal power play can make a team look dominant on the scoreboard while still losing the territorial battle underneath. Minnesota exposed that dynamic in Game 1. They spent more time with the puck, generated more sustained pressure, and forced Dallas to defend far more than it wants to.

Now the series moves forward with Minnesota still sitting at plus money, despite showing it can carry play against this opponent. That’s the key. Not momentum, not confidence, not emotion — control. When a team proves it can dictate the game and the price still favors the other side, that’s a position worth taking.

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Bet365 Early Payout – How It Works

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If the team you back to win goes up by the designated number of points at any time during the game, BET365 will pay out your bet in full immediately, even if the opposing team later comes back and wins the game.

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