The Dallas Stars (21-7-5), one of the Western Conference’s elite squads with a league-best +28 goal differential, host the Los Angeles Kings (14-8-9) on Monday night in a Pacific-Central Division crossover at American Airlines Center. Dallas, fresh off back-to-back shutout losses to Florida and Minnesota that snapped a seven-game win streak, desperately needs a rebound against a Kings team that’s gone 2-2-1 in its last five but owns the NHL’s stingiest defense (2.48 GA/GP, 2nd). With Tyler Seguin sidelined long-term for Dallas and Phillip Danault questionable for LA, this matchup hinges on star power: Anze Kopitar’s two-way mastery vs. Roope Hintz’s rush threat, and Darcy Kuemper’s road reliability against Jake Oettinger’s Vezina form. Expect a tight, structured battle with Dallas’ home-ice edge (10-5-1) clashing against LA’s transition game. Faceoff is at 8:00 p.m. ET, streaming on ESPN+ with local coverage on Victory+ and Fox Sports West.
Venue Location
American Airlines Center
2500 Victory Ave
Dallas, TX 75219
The Stars’ fortress since 2001, this 18,532-seat arena is a playoff-caliber cauldron, where Dallas thrives on crowd energy (averaging 3.4 GF/GP at home). The fast ice surface favors skilled rushes, and opponents are just 5-10-1 ATS in Dallas’ last 16 home games.
Puckdrop: 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. CT / 5:00 p.m. PT)
Broadcast: ESPN+ (national streaming), Victory+ (Stars local), FDSNW (Kings local)
Injury Report
Injuries favor the Kings slightly, with Dallas missing captain Tyler Seguin’s scoring punch (12G, 15A before injury). LA’s depth holds up despite Danault’s bug. Official NHL report (as of 5 p.m. ET):
| Team | Player | Status | Injury/Reason | Estimated Return |
| Kings | Phillip Danault | Day-to-Day | Illness | Dec 15 |
| No other major | – | – | – | |
| Stars | Nils Lundkvist | Day-to-Day | Lower Body | Dec 15 |
| Lian Bichsel | Out | Upper Body (IR-LT) | Jan 27, 2026 | |
| Tyler Seguin | Out | Lower Body (IR-LT) | Dec 27, 2025 |
Seguin’s absence (missed last 10 games) boosts Jamie Benn’s usage to 19:45 TOI/GP. Lundkvist’s status thins Dallas’ right-side D; if out, expect Thomas Harley to log heavy minutes.
Key Player Matchups
Dallas’ offensive firepower (3.27 GF/GP, 3rd) tests LA’s elite PK (85.4%, 4th), while the Kings’ counterattack exploits Stars’ recent defensive lapses (5 GA in last two). Top battles:
Anze Kopitar (LAK C) vs. Roope Hintz (DAL C)
Kopitar (9G, 18A; 27P, 54.1% FO) anchors LA’s shutdown line, facing Hintz (8G, 15A; 23P, elite rush speed with +12). Edge: Hintz—his 16P in 15 career vs. LA exploits transitions; Kopitar’s +5 rating holds in neutral, but Hintz’s line has 14 GF in December.
Adrian Kempe (LAK RW) vs. Miro Heiskanen (DAL D)
Kempe (11G, 17A; 28P, riding four-game streak with 5P) attacks seams, matched against Heiskanen (7G, 22A; 29P, 26:05 TOI/G, 3rd in NHL). Edge: Heiskanen—his +15 and 8P in 14 vs. LA neutralize wings; Kempe’s 3.1 SOG/GP tests, but Heiskanen’s blocks (1.2/GP) shine.
Quinton Byfield (LAK C/LW) vs. Wyatt Johnston (DAL C)
Byfield (10G, 12A; emerging two-way threat) vs. Johnston (16G, 10A; 26P, +14). Edge: Johnston—his 4 GWG lead the Stars; Byfield’s speed (12.5% S%) creates chances, but Johnston’s 52.3% FO wins battles.
Darcy Kuemper (LAK G) vs. Jake Oettinger (DAL G)
Kuemper (10-6-5, 2.23 GAA, .914 SV%) vs. Oettinger (14-6-2, 2.54 GAA, .907 SV%, 2 SO). Edge: Kuemper—his .925 SV% on road; Oettinger’s volume (27.3 SA/GP) faltered in last two (5 GA each), but home .920 SV% rebounds.
Bonus Prop Watch: Kempe Over 0.5 Points (-115) and Heiskanen Over 0.5 Assists (-130) clear in 70% of December games.
Team Records
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away | Division | Conference | Streak |
| Kings | 14-8-9 | 4-6-4 Home / 10-2-5 Away | 3rd Pacific | 6th West | L2 |
| Stars | 21-7-5 | 10-5-1 Home / 11-2-4 Away | 2nd Central | 2nd West | L2 |
LA ranks 2nd in GA/GP (2.48) but 30th in GF (2.65). Dallas is 3rd in GF (3.27) and 8th in GA (2.52), with +28 differential (1st).
Recent Team Forms
Both teams stumble after hot stretches: Kings 2-3 in last five with OT heartbreaks; Stars outscored 9-2 in last two but 7-0-0 prior. Dallas forces 14.1 TOs/GP; LA’s PK kills 85.4%.
Los Angeles Kings Last 5 Games (2-3-0):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| Dec 13 | vs. CGY | L 1-2 OT | Kopitar: 1A; Kuemper: 35 SV |
| Dec 10 | @ SEA | L 2-3 | Kempe: 1G; 26 SOG |
| Dec 8 | @ UTA | W 4-2 | Byfield: 2A; 27 SOG |
| Dec 6 | vs. CHI | W 6-0 | Fiala: 2G; Kuemper shutout |
| Dec 4 | vs. CHI | L 1-2 | Low-event; 27 SOG |
Dallas Stars Last 5 Games (3-2-0):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| Dec 14 | vs. FLA | L 0-4 | Oettinger: 28 SV; Shutout loss |
| Dec 12 | @ MIN | L 2-5 | Robertson: 1G; Defensive woes |
| Dec 7 | vs. PIT | W 3-2 SO | Hintz: GWG; 3/4 PP |
| Dec 5 | vs. SJS | W 4-1 | Johnston: 2G; Oettinger: 22 SV |
| Dec 3 | @ NJD | W 3-0 | Heiskanen: 2A; Shutout |
Averages: Kings 2.8 GF/GP (last five), Stars 3.0 GA/GP at home.
Series History
Dallas holds a commanding all-time edge (125-81-45 regular season, 4-3 playoffs), including a 2020 bubble series win (3-2). Since 2020, Stars are 12-5-1 vs. LA, winning 70% by multi-goal margins.
This season: Stars lead 1-0
Oct 26, 2025: Stars 4-1 (Robertson: 2G; Oettinger: 28 SV)
Dallas is 8-2 SU in last 10 home vs. Kings; games average 5.9 total goals (Over in 6 of 10).
Betting Trends
Key Trends:
Kings: 11-15-5 ATS overall; 10-2-5 SU away; Under in 9/15 road (avg. 5.2 goals); 4-6 SU last 10 vs. DAL.
Stars: 15-13-5 ATS; 10-5-1 SU home; Over in 7/10 home; 8-2 SU vs. LA since 2023.
Head-to-Head: Over in 6/10; Stars 7-3 SU last 10.
Game Odds
Los Angeles Kings 5.5
Dallas Stars – 142
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, December 14, 2025
