Best NHL Playoff Prop Bets for May 17 (Target Aleksander Barkov To Continue His Success In Bounce-Back Games)
By Nate Duffett
The Eastern Conference Finals can be determined after Friday night, while the Dallas Stars try to finish the job against the Colorado Avalanche.
The Boston Bruins fended off the Florida Panthers in Game 5 thanks to a stellar performance from Jeremy Swayman. They earned the right to get a Game 6 back home to try and extend the series to a deciding Game 7.
It's the same situation out West, as the Dallas Stars could've sent the Avalanche home with a win in Game 5, but Colorado grabbed a 5-3 victory.
Will the Bruins and Avalanche win tonight to give us a Game 7 doubleheader on Sunday? Or will the Panthers and Stars take care of business on the road? Here's how I would attack tonight's slate from a player prop perspective.
NHL Playoffs Prop Bets for May 17
- Aleksander Barkov To Record 2+ Points (+230)
- David Pastrnak Anytime Goal Scorer (+140)
- Logan Stankoven OVER 1.5 Shots on Goal (-166)
The odds listed above are via DraftKings Sportsbook
Aleksander Barkov To Record 2+ Points
It was a nice story when the Bruins beat the Panthers in Game 5 to get another game at TD Garden without their captain Brad Marchand. Marchand is now a game-time decision for Game 6, but he didn't skate on a line in practice, so his status is unlikely.
This series has played out a lot like the Tampa Bay series for the Panthers. The Game 1 win for the Bruins was better than the Lightning's performance, but Florida then won three straight games and laid an egg in the deciding game. When they did that against Tampa Bay, they returned in Game 5 and won the series with a 6-1 victory. It wouldn't be a surprise if they did the same here.
Aleksander Barkov hasn't taken kindly to losing games in this playoffs. After losing Game 4 against the Lightning, Barkov had two goals and an assist in the deciding Game 5. Then, after losing Game 1 of this series, Barkov had two goals and two assists in the following 6-1 victory. I can sense a pattern forming here, and it seems like Jeremy Swayman will see plenty of the Panthers' captain tonight.
David Pastrnak Anytime Goal Scorer
The sportsbooks aren't releasing Brad Marchand player props if he misses a third straight game. David Pastrnak was supposed to lead the Bruins in his absence and did with a goal in Game 4.
Pastrnak has just one goal and two assists in this series but looked comfortable at home with two of those three points. If the Bruins want to have any chance to win a second straight game and force Game 7, they'll need Pastrnak to find the back of the net again.
I mentioned Marchand earlier because he was the player on the Bruins that I wanted to target. There were no odds for him to be found, but if he passes the tests to suit up, I would be looking for an Anytime Goal Scorer prop for him as well.
TD Garden will be rocking if Marchand steps on the ice for the anthems, and if we know one thing about Marchand, he has a flair for the dramatic. The odds for him scoring should offer tremendous value.
Logan Stankoven OVER 1.5 Shots on Goal
There's no reason to avoid taking the Logan Stankoven shots on goal prop in this matchup. The odds haven't caught up to his play in the playoffs, as he's hit this number in six of his last seven games.
Stankoven's last two games haven't been great, recording zero shots in Game 4 and two in Game 5, but before that, he had three shots in four straight.
The Stars are too good to let another opportunity slip through their fingers in this game, and I expect them to pour the pressure onto Alexander Georgiev.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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