ScoresandStats.com Latest Sports Previews

The Dallas Stars head to Scotiabank Arena on Monday night for a 7:30 p.m. ET start on ESPN+, and this matchup is much more meaningful for one side than the other. Dallas is 48-20-12, has already clinched the No. 2 seed in the Central Division, and locked in first-round home ice. Toronto is 32-34-14, has been eliminated from playoff contention, and comes in riding a five-game skid. The Stars are also entering as a clear road favorite, with the market sitting around Dallas -170 and the total at 6.5. That does not mean Dallas can just coast through this one. The Stars have won four of their last five, including a 2-0 shutout of the Rangers on Saturday, and there

The San Jose Sharks head to Bridgestone Arena on Monday night for an 8:00 p.m. ET puck drop, and this one still has real playoff weight to it. San Jose enters at 37-34-8 and has very little room left in the Western wild-card race, while Nashville is 38-32-10 and sits one point behind Los Angeles for the final spot. That makes this game feel close to an elimination game for the Sharks, and close to a must-win for the Predators too. The recent form adds a little tension, but not in the same direction for both teams. San Jose has dropped three straight after opening April by winning three of four, while Nashville just beat Minnesota 2-1 on Saturday and

The Minnesota Wild head to Enterprise Center on Monday night for an 8:00 p.m. ET puck drop on ESPN+, and this one feels a little strange because only one side really has anything left to sort out emotionally. Minnesota is 45-23-12, already clinched a playoff berth earlier this month, and is essentially headed for a first-round series against Dallas. St. Louis is 34-33-12 and was eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday, so the Blues are now playing out the schedule at home. That does not make the game meaningless. The Wild still have enough form and enough offensive talent to want a cleaner tune-up heading into the postseason, while the Blues have at least shown some life lately with wins

The Buffalo Sabres head to United Center on Monday night for an 8:30 p.m. ET start on ESPN+, and this game still matters quite a bit for the visitors. Buffalo is 49-23-8, sits atop the Atlantic race on points, and needs just two more points to lock up home ice in the first round, with three more needed to secure the division outright. Chicago is 28-38-14, locked into another last-place finish in the Central, so the urgency gap is pretty clear coming in. The recent form points the same way. Buffalo has won five straight and already blasted Chicago 9-3 in the first meeting this season, while the Blackhawks are just 2-7-1 over their last 10 and have gone 13-18-8