Best NHL Playoff Prop Bets for May 3 (Target JT Miller To Be A Difference Maker In Game 6)
By Nate Duffett
The first round is starting to wind down, with Game 1 of the second round already scheduled for Sunday and Monday. Will there be Round 1 Game 7's joining the Rangers and Hurricanes on Sunday's slate, or will both series end on Friday night?
The Vancouver Canucks return to Nashville after stealing Games 3 and 4 on the road to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Predators returned the favor in Game 5 with a 2-1 comeback win.
The Canucks trod water with their top two goalies out of the lineup, and Arturs Silovs stopped 20 of 22 shots in Game 5, but it wasn't enough. The Canucks will need to find a way to generate offense against a smothering Predators defense if they want to win one of the next two games and advance in this series.
A lot is on the line for the Canucks in this series, as a win could buy them enough time to get Thatcher Demko back from his undisclosed injury. The stakes are an all-Canadian matchup with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in the second round.
It has been a tale of two series in the other Game 6 on Friday night, as the Dallas Stars can advance with a third-straight victory in Vegas. The Golden Knights took the first two games in Dallas, but the Stars stole two games back in Vegas and then took a 3-2 series lead with a commanding win in Game 5.
The Golden Knights need to dig deep to have a chance of returning to defend their Stanley Cup win, but the Stars want to end this in six games to minimize the damage before taking on a high-flying Colorado Avalanche team in the second round.
NHL Playoffs Prop Bets for May 3
- JT Miller OVER 2.5 Shots On Goal
- Jason Zucker OVER 1.5 Shots On Goal
- Wyatt Johnston Anytime Goal Scorer
JT Miller OVER 2.5 Shots on Goal
The Canucks are lucky to be in the position to win this series in Game 6. They needed a two-goal comeback in the final minutes of Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. Without Brock Boeser's heroics, they could be fighting for their playoff lives in this game after Nashville's win in Game 5.
If you need to find a reason why the Canucks are struggling, look no further than the Predators' defense. The Canucks have just 91 shots through the first five games, including games of 12 and 18 shots in Games 2 and 3.
They needed overtime in Game 4 to cross the 20-shot threshold in that outing. Only two players have double digits in shots this series, and one of those is Brock Boeser, who had eight shots in his hat trick performance in Game 4 but just five shots over the other four games. That leaves JT Miller as the only consistent offensive performer.
However, as has been their mantra all season, it doesn't matter how the Canucks win, as long as they do. Miller has been a rock for them all year, and he will be the player to put them over the top in Game 6. He's hit the over in his shots on goal in three of his last four and has points in all three wins. In the losses, he's been held scoreless.
It's unlikely that Miller will go quiet for two games in a row, take him to have a productive Game 6.
Jason Zucker OVER 1.5 Shots On Goal
The Predators have been just as bad at getting shots to the net as the Canucks. However, they've been much better at home. Nashville has 62 shots on goal in three games in Vancouver but tallied 60 in Games 3 and 4 at home.
Jason Zucker has been one of their best players in that department, but his line remains at 1.5. In our player props article for the night of Game 5, we targeted Zucker as someone who should cover the 1.5 line thanks to his high output. The Predators managed just 22 shots, but Zucker recorded four and cashed our over in the first period.
I expected Zucker's line to increase in this game, but we will bet it again at this price. FanDuel also offers a line for him to record 3+ shots at around +170 if you want to take a shot at that.
Zucker has 13 shots on goal in this series, failing to go over 1.5 just once, and having three or more in three of those games.
Wyatt Johnston Anytime Goal Scorer
There is plenty of value in taking Wyatt Johnston to score a goal in this matchup. He has been on fire in this series, scoring in Games 3 and 4 to help the Stars tie the series, then adding two assists in Game 5 to take the lead.
Plenty of players in other series haven't been playing near the calibre of Johnston, but continue to be much more of a favorite to score a goal due to their reputation. Johnston is a guy who can elevate himself to the level of garnering that reputation, but until he does, I'll take a shot at him to find the back to the net again on Friday night.
The Golden Knights haven't been a well-disciplined team despite the veteran experience. They've taken 15 minor penalties over the first five games, which gives Johnston and his new linemates, Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson, about three chances per game to put a puck in the net on the powerplay.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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