Best NHL Playoff Prop Bets for April 20th, 2024 (Target Jake Guentzel and the Islanders Penalty Kill)
Jake Guentzel and the Carolina Hurricanes have an opportunity to exploit Patrick Roy's new systems with the New York Islanders.
The NHL Playoffs get started with a double header of Eastern Conference matchups on Saturday.
It begins with the New York Islanders visiting the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon, then one of the biggest rivalries in the sport adds another chapter when the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Boston Bruins.
The Islanders and Hurricanes split the season series, winning two games each. They even went as far as each winning a game in extra time. It was a different story in the other matchup, as the Bruins won all four games over the Maple Leafs, with Toronto getting the point in overtime in two of those games.
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NHL Playoff Prop Bets for April 20th, 2024
- Jake Guentzel Anytime Goal Scorer
- David Pastrnak Anytime Goal Scorer
- Brad Marchand OVER 2.5 Shots On Goal
Jake Guentzel Anytime Goal Scorer
Guentzel has the best odds of any Hurricanes player to score a goal on Saturday afternoon. However, there is some good value compared to his opportunity in this game.
Guentzel has been red-hot in April, scoring in four of six games and tallying six total. He played one game against the Islanders since joining the Hurricanes at the trade deadline, and it was a successful outing, recording a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory.
The Islanders aren't the same team as their past playoff appearances, as they lack in the defensive department. Patrick Roy's new system helped them bounce back and claim the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, but that doesn't mean there aren't some holes that Carolina can exploit.
Roy's defensive zone scheme supports fewer shots from the flank at both even-strength and on the penalty kill. On the penalty kill, his squad rotates to a "diamond" scheme, which pressures the two players on the boards but allows openings in the middle of the ice.
Enter Guentzel, who sets up in the slot area in the offensive zone and will be able to get a fair share of high-danger scoring chances in the slot area.
You may be saying that it's harder to capitalize on the powerplay in the postseason. However, since 2016, the penalty rate has been higher in the playoffs than in the regular season. Fans may not like it, but with the direction the league is heading, special teams could play a factor in this year's playoffs.
How did the Islanders do on the penalty kill this season? They were dead last in the entire league.
David Pastrnak Anytime Goal Scorer
David Pastrnak is an imposing force for any opponent, but it seems like he enjoys the Maple Leafs rivalry the most. He's had plenty of success against Toronto, scoring 19 goals and 17 assists in 28 regular season games. His success doesn't just stay in the regular season, as he has 19 points in 14 playoff matchups.
The Bruins get the best of the Maple Leafs when they have sustained offensive zone pressure. It was evident this season that the Leafs didn't have the defensive structure to stand up to the Bruins' offensive attack, leading to the Bruins sweeping the season series.
The Bruins' sustained offensive pressure emphasizes opening up passing lanes by confusing the Maple Leafs on their switches. This is due to the Leafs playing both man-on-man and zone in their defensive structure. If Toronto switches to solely man-on-man for this series, it could cause problems for the Bruins. Until we see that, you have to believe the Bruins' success will continue.
Brad Marchand OVER 2.5 Shots On Goal
This number for Marchand's shots on goal seems very low compared to what we know about his style of play.
However, if you look at his recent form and realize he hasn't hit this number in three of his last four games and four of seven games in April. Marchand suffered some lulls in his game during his first season as captain, but that can all be forgotten by a good playoff performance.
Marchand will show up for the Bruins in this series and take the lead like the captains before him. As long as he doesn't get too carried away with the extracurriculars, he'll get plenty of opportunities to tally at least three shots in this game.
The vet had three or more shots in six of seven games last playoffs. Dating back to the playoffs before that, he had three or more shots in four straight games to end the series.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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