The playoffs heated up even more on Friday night. New Jersey managed to turn back Carolina in double overtime to get back in the series. Montreal also won at home in a chippy affair which saw both starting goaltenders get injured. Finally, there was Edmonton, which won a wild one that will be talked about for all the wrong reasons.
Yes, some things went as expected, and some did not. It is the playoffs after all. Four games are scheduled, all on TBS/MAX, beginning at 1:00 pm ET.
Can Nikita Kucherov Score A Goal?
The Florida Panthers must have some magic over Nikita Kucherov. The talented winger scored 37 goals this season for the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, the struggle against Florida is a real one. Kucherov has no goals in his previous seven games versus the Panthers and does not have a playoff goal in 12 contests.
Worse, Brandon Hagel was suspended one game for his major interference on Aleksander Barkov. There lies more pressure on Kucherov to get things going. Tampa Bay was shut out in Game 2. However, Kucherov had chances in Game 1. Game 2 felt like a different story with one shot on goal.
Now, Jon Cooper does not have the benefit of a last line change, as the scene shifts to South Florida. Even shot props are wary of Kucherov. Here is a player who averaged nearly 3.4 shots per game in the 2024-25 season. He has three through two games against Florida.
Tampa placed itself in quite a hole that no one believes it can climb out of. A big reason is how the Panthers have played Kucherov. Kucherov has been blanketed effectively by Brad Marchand, among others. Kucherov, even at +170, does not move the needle for anytime goalscorer. Going under on the shot well one more time is the plan.
Best Prop Bet: Nikita Kucherov Under 2.5 shots +126 via FanDuel
One More Overtime?
Okay, Toronto was expected to win their series over Ottawa by five or six games. However, few saw the Maple Leafs taking a 3-0 series lead. They did just that behind a 3-2 overtime win on Thursday night. The Maple Leafs-Senators Game 4 begins just after 7:00 pm ET.
Ottawa has kept this series somewhat even after the 6-2 rout in Game 1. However, Toronto controls the game better when the score is closer. Yes, the Senators have come back twice in the third period. On the other hand, Toronto has been able to deliver the finishing blow when it counts.
Is expecting this game to go to overtime, almost playing it safe? Some think this is bold given that the Senators must win or their season is over. Both teams stand at +140 to win in regulation, but +300 for a third consecutive overtime. Let’s take that for one more dance.
Top Pick: A 60-minute draw (EVEN via BetMGM)
Jake Oettinger Continues Saving The Bacon
Maybe the demise of Jake Oettinger as an elite goaltender was greatly exaggerated. Dallas has played the last two games right to the edge, as Oettinger has come up with his finest works in the third period and overtime. As a result, Dallas has flipped its series with Colorado and now leads two games to one.
There is considerable risk associated with this proposition. One assumes Colorado will come out firing shots galore. The Avalanche topped 30 shots only in Game 2. The urgency in that second game was that Colorado thought they could put the hammer down on the Stars.
Colorado knows they have to win here. That means more shots on goal. Add in how few teams come back from a 3-1 series deficit, and the Avalanche will want to force Oettinger to make more saves. That may be when Oettinger is at his best. Just ask betting experts and fans alike how well the Dallas goaltender performed back in 2022 against Calgary.
Simply, watch Oettinger run up that save count late on Saturday night.
Best Prop Bet: Jake Oettinger 28+ saves EVEN via DraftKings
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