Analysis: Dallas - Columbus

Columbus is the only team in NHL which hasn’t yet won an away match in regular time. Its next chance will be on Thursday night.

Position in the table and team condition:
Dallas (41 points) with 20 wins and 15 losses holds the 7th place in the West. Hockey players of Columbus Blues Jackets which holds the 15th place with 23 points also play in the same conference.

Potential and team situation:
Both teams cannot enlist December to the best periods of this season. The “Stars” got breathless after a good start and descended from the leading place and got into the struggle for the play-off zone. Dallas has only one breakaway point from Calgary, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Colorado and that is why it is now time to begin winning again. The Texas team is in a weak disposition, the main reason for which is injuries in the team. In the current month Vinkur and two defenders Surrey and Robidas were injured.
Not so long ago we offered a bet against Columbus in a match against Nashville. We paid attention to the main coach Scott Arniel’s problem of whom to place at the goalkeeper position. As it turned out later it hadn’t been without reason since the injured Sanford (who had had to be substituted by Mason) took out the puck from the gates 6 times. Sanford was substituted by Mason in the two following matches against Blackhawks or Flames and although his play was not bad Blue Jacket’s mistakes in the defense lead to Columbus’s defeat in these matches, having lost a valuable player Cody Bassa.

History of meetings:
The season of 2010/2011 is the 3 wins of Dallas and 1 win of Columbus. The “Stars” confidently beat their opponent with the score 3:0 and 4:2 at American Airlines Center.

Tips and grounds:
Situation for Dallas in the NHL has got a bit more complicated. In the match against Columbus which doesn’t have great chances for an advance into the play-off stage – the hosts have to gather a complex of points. The “Stars” is the only team which scores the most quantity of pucks into opponent’s gates, but the defense of the guests doesn’t impress from the beginning of the season. Additionally an inexperienced goalkeeper is at the gates. We bet on the local team’s win.

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