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The Dallas Stars handed the Edmonton Oilers a heavy 6-3 defeat in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs' Western Conference Final and will look for a similar result in Game 2 on Friday night. The Stars were third in the NHL in goals per game during the regular season (and only had Mikko Rantanen in a green sweater for 20 games after acquiring him midseason). The potent Dallas offense and steady goaltending of Jake Oettinger could give the Stars a commanding 2-0 series lead before the action shifts to Edmonton. Can Connor McDavid and the Oilers strike back?

Here are the SportsLine Projection Model's Stars-Oilers Game 2 picks and NHL player props, and how bettors can get in on the action by using the BetMGM promo code "CBSSPORTS."

Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

SportsLine Projection Model's top picks

  • Stars -117
  • Connor McDavid Under 1.5 points (5 stars)
  • Leon Draisaitl Under 1.5 points (5 stars)

The model paints a harsh picture if you're an Oilers fan. First and foremost, Dallas is winning in 62% of the model's simulations. It's not hard to imagine why -- Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner badly struggled, particularly when the Stars rattled off three power play goals in the opening minutes of the third period. Dallas simply has too many scoring threats, and opposing keepers can't afford to bring anything but their A-game. It's unclear whether Calvin Pickard, who had provided strong goalkeeping earlier in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Edmonton, will be ready to return from injury for Game 2.

To make matters worse, the model has 5-star plays on both McDavid and Draisaitl to finish Under 1.5 points. The two all-world forwards provided the bulk of the offense for Edmonton in Game 1, and the model projects McDavid for just 0.3 points and Draisaitl for 0.5.

Dallas is a -117 favorite (wager $117 to win $100) on the money line in the latest SportsLine consensus odds, while Edmonton is a -104 (wager $104 to win $100) underdog. The total sits at 6.5, with the Over priced at +100  while the Under comes in at -120. You can find the model's latest projections, along with expert picks for Stars-Oilers game 2, at SportsLine.

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