Stars Favored in Game 3 vs Golden Knights despite 0-2 Hole

What: Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars Game 3
Where: American Airlines Arena
When: Tuesday, May 23rd

The Dallas Stars have their backs up against the wall in the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday as they head into Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights currently in a 0-2 hole in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The puck is scheduled to drop at 8 PM ET at American Airlines Arena. This has been a very entertaining series thus far, with Vegas managing to win both contests at home in overtime. A victory here for the West's best team would basically solidify their spot in the Stanley Cup Finals. Keep reading for the Golden Knights vs Stars Game 3 picks.

Before we get into the odds and picks for Tuesday, make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.

Golden Knights vs Stars Game 3 Odds

Team
Vegas Golden Knights	+128	+125	+125
Dallas Stars	-141	-145	-145

Despite being down, the Stars are a clear favorite with -145 odds here while the Golden Knights come back at +125. That's much in part to the brilliance of Dallas at home, but we'll get more into that below.

Vegas in Control

While they still need two more victories, you'd have to imagine the Golden Knights can sniff the Finals at this point. Bruce Cassidy's squad took care of business in the Sin City like a true contender would, but it wasn't easy. Game 1 was a back-and-forth affair, with Vegas needing overtime to win it as Brett Howden played hero.

Then on Sunday, it was another thriller. Dallas opened the scoring as Miro Heiskanen found the back of the net in the first before Mark Stone continued his impressive postseason with a goal midway through the period. Jason Robertson eventually scored in the second and it did look like the Knights were on their way to a loss. But, Jonathan Marchessault came up clutch with just minutes to go in the third to force OT. That's when Chandler Stephenson stepped up and produced a goal that officially put his team up 2-0 in the conference finals.

The Golden Knights are going to have no shortage of confidence Tuesday, regardless of the sportsbooks making them an underdog. After all, Vegas has lost just once on the road in these playoffs.

Stars in Must-Win Situation

Although coming back from a 3-0 deficit isn't impossible, it basically never happens. That's why Tuesday's game is absolutely crucial for the Stars if they want to keep their playoff aspirations alive. It's not like Peter DeBoer's group is playing badly in this series either, it simply comes down to not getting it done in overtime. I mean, every game has been extremely close.

Dallas was ahead for most of the encounter on Sunday but couldn't hold on to the lead. Robertson and Heiskanen scored for the visitors in the defeat. The Stars have played phenomenal hockey at home in the postseason, losing only once and that was Game 1 of the first round against the Minnesota Wild. The hostile environment at American Airlines Arena certainly helps them.

A victory here makes this a wide-open series again but a loss basically puts the Stars' Cup aspirations to bed. They must bring their absolute best.