Best NHL Playoff Prop Bets for May 12 (Target Leon Draisaitl To Continue His Offensive Dominance)
By Nate Duffett
The second round has been full of drama, and we get plenty more storylines entering this two-game NHL playoff slate on Sunday.
The Florida Panthers look like no match for the Boston Bruins in the last two games, and it could get even worse for the Bruins if they are without Brad Marchand. Marchand missed the third period of Game 3 and is considered day-to-day. The Edmonton Oilers almost went down 2-0 to the Vancouver Canucks, but a third-period Connor McDavid goal sent them to overtime and Evan Bouchard scored to even the series.
Here's how I would attack tonight's slate from a player prop perspective.
NHL Playoffs Prop Bets for May 12
- Leon Draisaitl OVER 2.5 Shots On Goal
- David Pastrnak OVER 3.5 Shots On Goal
- Brandon Montour OVER 2.5 Shots On Goal
Leon Draisaitl OVER 2.5 Shots On Goal
It's hard to believe we can still get Leon Draisaitl's line at 2.5, considering his extended focus on shooting so far in this playoff run. Draisaitl has always been a pass-first guy, but he has 30 shots in seven games, averaging 4.3 shots on goal per game.
He has gone over 2.5 shots in six of seven games. He even hit the over in Game 1, where he left for extended periods and only played 16 minutes. If Draisaitl stays healthy in this game, he'll hit the number.
The Oilers allowed the Canucks to hang around in the first two games, particularly in Game 1 when they had just 18 shots and blew a 4-1 lead. Edmonton will soon wake up and realize that the Canucks are playing their third-string goaltender, and I think it may come in these next two games at Rogers Place. Stuart Skinner will settle in, the Oilers' offense will get more energy from the home crowd, and Edmonton could run away with this series.
I expect Draisaitl and McDavid to have another big night, as they combined for seven points in Game 2. If they get rolling and get a couple of powerplays, a lot of their player props are in play.
David Pastrnak OVER 3.5 Shots On Goal
It took until the third period on Friday for the Bruins to get some offense against the Panthers. They had eight shots through the first two periods and finished with just 17. Many people (including me in the May 10th article) expected the Bruins to come out firing in Game 3 after the Pastrnak drama to end Game 2, but they were flat, and the crowd was lifeless.
The Bruins showed glimpses of a gameplan that led to success in the third period, teasing fans with a possible comeback. However, it wasn't meant to be, as the Panthers added two goals late to win 6-2. Jim Montgomery took blame after the loss, saying that he needs to give the players a better gameplan in Game 4.
What does a better game plan look like? Well, it could start with Sergei Bobrovsky and his .890 save percentage. Montgomery's system preaches quality over quantity with shots on goal, but the Bruins may want to funnel more pucks to the net.
David Pastrnak managed three of the 17 shots in Game 2 and had four attempts blocked. I expect the Bruins to get more than 17 shots in this game if Montgomery changes the strategy, and Boston may also be without Brad Marchand.
If that's the case, Pastrnak will get even more ice time. Pastrnak will be double-shifting on the bottom two lines and playing the full two minutes on powerplays, leading to plenty of shooting opportunities.
Brandon Montour OVER 2.5 Shots On Goal
Brandon Montour has been getting a lot of playing time against Brad Marchand's line this series. He must be aware of the aggressive Marchand, which could take away some of his offensive potential. However, Montour continued his dominance over the Bruins in the last two games, scoring two goals and three assists.
In Game 4 he will lose that matchup against Marchand, and quite frankly, if he isn't out there against Pastrnak then there aren't many players to be scared of in the Bruins forward group. Montour could take more chances and step up his offensive game even more in Game 4, which gives a lot of value to this line.
Montour has at least two shots in every postseason game, including three or more in three of his last four.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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