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Senators vs. Maple Leafs prop picks Game 2: Bet on Matthews, Nylander in Tuesday’s Battle of Ontario

The Toronto Maple Leafs have the edge heading into Game 2 of the Battle of Ontario.

The pregame narrative: Toronto scored a whopping six goals against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, led by the Core Four. Bank on Auston Matthews and William Nylander to continue producing in the second game of this series.

Check out my Senators vs. Maple Leafs prop picks for Game 2 of the opening round.

Senators vs. Maple Leafs picks

Best bet: Matthews over 3.5 shots (-120)

Toronto was outshot 33-24 in Game 1. But a majority of the damage was done by the top dogs, and that, of course, includes Matthews.

The captain recorded six of the Leafs’ 24 shots. They had six power plays, too, which will always help offensive production.

I could see Toronto being on the man advantage plenty again as the Senators are one of the more physical, but undisciplined teams in the NHL.

The Senators allow 28.6 shots per game, which is in the bottom half of the league. It’s also a fair bit more than the Leafs’ 24 shots on Saturday.

Matthews already had a high volume of shots in Game 1, and there could be more chances on the board in Game 2.

Key stat: Matthews ranked third in the NHL this season with 3.9 shots per game.

Game 2 prop prediction

Nylander to score 1+ goals (+155): It was easy to convince myself to bet on Nylander in the playoffs.

And that’s not to say the winger didn’t have a fantastic season. His career-high 45 goals were the second most in the league.

But there’s something special about Willy in the postseason, and it was on display in the first game.

Nylander assisted John Tavares’ second-period goal. He then ripped one of his own past Linus Ullmark on the two-man advantage.

Last year, he missed the first part of the Leafs’ opening series with the Boston Bruins but came back to score two goals in Game 6 and his team’s only goal in the 2-1 Game 7 loss.

The electric winger is on a bit of a scoring streak in the playoffs right now, lighting the lamp in three straight. I’m willing to take a shot on that continuing.

Nylander has 26 goals in 42 home games this season (Sunday included).

Maple Leafs vs. Senators prop picks made at 4:24 p.m. ET 04/21/2025.

NHL playoff anytime goalscorer picks April 21: Bet on Alex Ovechkin, Nathan MacKinnon

I have picks on two star players during Monday’s NHL playoff action.

The pregame narrative: Alex Ovechkin set the NHL’s all-time goal record this season, and I like the value on his anytime goal prop in Game 1. Later on, bet on Nathan MacKinnon to have another big performance against the Dallas Stars.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for April 21.

NHL anytime goal picks

Best Bet: Ovechkin to score a goal (+115)

Ovechkin had an incredible season, there’s no other way to put it.

The 39-year-old was limited to 65 games this season and still scored 44 goals, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record in the process.

His 0.68 goals per game ranked second in the NHL behind only Leon Draisaitl (0.73).

In the opening round, the Washington Capitals play the Montreal Canadiens, who aren’t in the playoffs because of their defence.

11th-most goals against per game (3.18)
10th-most shots against per game (29.1)

Those are dangerous weaknesses to possess against Ovechkin.

Key stat: The ‘Great 8’ scored in seven of his final nine regular-season games.

NHL prop prediction: Back MacKinnon to score

MacKinnon to score a goal (+115): It’s hard to pass on MacKinnon in the first round of the playoffs.

Dating back to 2022, MacKinnon has scored 12 goals in 15 opening-round games.

That concluded with his two-goal performance over the Stars on Saturday.

Let’s also not forget about the centre’s extremely productive regular season. He finished second in the league with 116 points.

He closed things out by recording a point in eight straight games and scoring in two of the final three contests.

Colorado scored five times on Saturday and looked dominant on offence. Look for MacKinnon to be in the mix again with plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net.

NHL anytime goal picks made at 2:07 p.m. ET on 04/21/2025.

NHL playoff anytime goalscorer picks April 21: Bet on Alex Ovechkin, Nathan MacKinnon

I have picks on two star players during Monday’s NHL playoff action.

The pregame narrative: Alex Ovechkin set the NHL’s all-time goal record this season, and I like the value on his anytime goal prop in Game 1. Later on, bet on Nathan MacKinnon to have another big performance against the Dallas Stars.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for April 21.

NHL anytime goal picks

Best Bet: Ovechkin to score a goal (+116)

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Ovechkin had an incredible season, there’s no other way to put it.

The 39-year-old was limited to 65 games this season and still scored 44 goals, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record in the process.

His 0.68 goals per game ranked second in the NHL behind only Leon Draisaitl (0.73).

In the opening round, the Washington Capitals play the Montreal Canadiens, who aren’t in the playoffs because of their defence.

11th-most goals against per game (3.18)
10th-most shots against per game (29.1)

Those are dangerous weaknesses to possess against Ovechkin.

Key stat: The ‘Great 8’ scored in seven of his final nine regular-season games.

NHL prop prediction: Back MacKinnon to score

MacKinnon to score a goal (+128): It’s hard to pass on MacKinnon in the first round of the playoffs.

Dating back to 2022, MacKinnon has scored 12 goals in 15 opening-round games.

That concluded with his two-goal performance over the Stars on Saturday.

Let’s also not forget about the centre’s extremely productive regular season. He finished second in the league with 116 points.

He closed things out by recording a point in eight straight games and scoring in two of the final three contests.

Colorado scored five times on Saturday and looked dominant on offence. Look for MacKinnon to be in the mix again with plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net.

NHL anytime goal picks made at 9:27 a.m. ET on 04/21/2025.

Oilers vs. Kings Game 1 SGP predictions: Target Doughty and McDavid at +310

The Edmonton Oilers begin their Stanley Cup playoff journey on the road against the Los Angeles Kings.

The pregame narrative: The Kings were the best home team in the NHL this season and I expect that to continue into the playoffs. This SGP includes a pick on Los Angeles’ team total, Drew Doughty and Connor McDavid.

Check out my Oilers vs. Kings playoff SGP predictions for Game 1 on April 21.

Oilers vs. Kings predictions

Parlay: Kings over 2.5 goals | Doughty to score 1+ points | McDavid to score 1+ points (+310)

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Kings over 2.5 goals (-162): Los Angeles went an incredible 31-6-4 at home this season and covered this total in 27 of those 41 games.

Now, the Kings take on an average defensive team in Round 1. Edmonton ranks 14th in goals allowed and kills penalties at a below-average rate (78.2%).

The Oilers won’t have Mattias Ekholm at all in the first round, which is a key absence in their own zone.

Additionally, the Kings have scored three or more goals in eight of their last 10 games. The offence is hot coming into the postseason.

Los Angeles has played Edmonton twice in April and covered this total in both games.

NBA SGP legs

Doughty to score 1+ points (+140): Doughty missed a majority of this season recovering from an injury and struggled upon returning, scoring one point in his first six games.

He was then called up to Team Canada. It appears playing in a tournament with the best in the world forced the blue-liner to shake off the rust.

Doughty was much better after the break, scoring 16 points in 24 games down the stretch.

He had a point in each of the first three games in last year’s playoffs. I expect much of the same success this time around.

McDavid to score 1+ points (-385): I’m sure I don’t need to say much to sell this pick, but I’ll explain my reasoning.

The Oilers captain dealt with injury issues at different times this season. However, he was incredibly efficient when available.

McDavid has scored at least a point in 21 of his past 22 games.

He finished sixth in the league with 100 points despite playing only 67 games.

And let’s not forget last year’s playoff run. McDavid scored 42 points in 24 games and went 18-6 against this line.

That includes getting on the score sheet in all five games of the opening round series vs. the Kings.

Oilers vs. Kings predictions made at 1:28 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Blues vs. Jets Game 2 prop picks: Tail Josh Morrissey during hot streak

The Winnipeg Jets look to secure a 2-0 series lead over the St. Louis Blues when they meet on Monday night at Canada Life Centre.

The pregame narrative: The Jets can build off a comeback win at home and take hold of this series in the process. In the prop market, I’m targeting Josh Morrissey and Jordan Kyrou in Game 2.

Check out my Blues vs. Jets prop picks for Game 2 of this first-round matchup in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks

Best Bet: Morrissey to score 1+ points (-130)

Morrissey finished the season getting on the score sheet in four straight games (six points total).

He followed that up with a two-assist performance in Game 1 win over the Blues.

Morrissey led all Winnipeg skaters in ice time (23:51), which is typical for the Canadian defenceman.

I like his chances of contributing to the score sheet when he’s on the ice as much as he is. On top of that, he’s one of the best offensive blue-liners in the NHL.

Morrissey finished eighth among defencemen in points during the regular season (62).

St. Louis killed penalties at a lousy 74.2% rate (tied for sixth worst). That can be detrimental in the playoffs, and Morrissey already has one power-play point in this series.

Key stat: He is 3-1 against this line vs. the Blues this year.

Quick picks

Kyrou over 2.5 shots (-118): The Blues only had 17 shots on net in Game 1, but the good news is Kyrou had four of those.

He’s cleared this line in 13 of the past 18 games and led the Blues this year with 239 shots (2.9 per game).

The Jets are a great defensive team, allowing the fewest goals per game (2.32), but they did tie for the 10th-most shots allowed per game (27.2). That makes St. Louis’ 17-shot total from Saturday look like an anomaly.

It can’t get any worse, right? If the Blues do record more shots on Monday, expect Kyrou to continue leading the charge.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks made at 4:06 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Blues vs. Jets Game 2 prop picks: Tail Josh Morrissey during hot streak

The Winnipeg Jets look to secure a 2-0 series lead over the St. Louis Blues when they meet on Monday night at Canada Life Centre.

The pregame narrative: The Jets can build off a comeback win at home and take hold of this series in the process. In the prop market, I’m targeting Josh Morrissey and Jordan Kyrou in Game 2.

Check out my Blues vs. Jets prop picks for Game 2 of this first-round matchup in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks

Best Bet: Morrissey to score 1+ points (-134)

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Morrissey finished the season getting on the score sheet in four straight games (six points total).

He followed that up with a two-assist performance in Game 1 win over the Blues.

Morrissey led all Winnipeg skaters in ice time (23:51), which is typical for the Canadian defenceman.

I like his chances of contributing to the score sheet when he’s on the ice as much as he is. On top of that, he’s one of the best offensive blue-liners in the NHL.

Morrissey finished eighth among defencemen in points during the regular season (62).

St. Louis killed penalties at a lousy 74.2% rate (tied for sixth worst). That can be detrimental in the playoffs, and Morrissey already has one power-play point in this series.

Key stat: He is 3-1 against this line vs. the Blues this year.

Quick picks

Kyrou over 2.5 shots (-115): The Blues only had 17 shots on net in Game 1, but the good news is Kyrou had four of those.

He’s cleared this line in 13 of the past 18 games and led the Blues this year with 239 shots (2.9 per game).

The Jets are a great defensive team, allowing the fewest goals per game (2.32), but they did tie for the 10th-most shots allowed per game (27.2). That makes St. Louis’ 17-shot total from Saturday look like an anomaly.

It can’t get any worse, right? If the Blues do record more shots on Monday, expect Kyrou to continue leading the charge.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks made at 1:45 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Oilers vs. Kings Game 1 prop picks: Bet on Azne Kopitar, Connor McDavid

The Edmonton Oilers start their journey back to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings.

The pregame narrative: This will be a repeat of last year’s opening series, which the Oilers won 4-1. Can the Kings get a different result this season, or will history repeat itself? I have prop picks on Anze Kopitar and Connor McDavid for Game 1.

Check out my Oilers vs. Kings prop picks for Game 1 of the opening round.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks

Best Bet: Kopitar to score 1+ points (-106)

Kopitar is turning into an ageless wonder as he continues to lead the defensively stout Los Angeles Kings.

He’s known for his elite defensive ability, but his offensive production was still there in his age-37 season.

The centreman scored 67 points in 81 games (0.83 per game), which is right around his career scoring average (0.88 per game). He had at least a point in 13 of the final 23 contests.

Edmonton is an average defensive team. It ranks 14th in goals allowed and kills penalties at a below-average 78.2% rate.

The Oilers will be without Mattias Ekholm for the entirety of the first round. He’s one of their top defenceman and his absence will open up more offence for Los Angeles.

Key stat: The Kings recently played Edmonton on April 14. Kopitar had two assists in a 5-0 win for L.A.

Quick picks

McDavid to score 2+ points (+115): A big reason the Oilers were shut out last week against the Kings (5-0 on Monday) was the absence of McDavid.

That rarely occurs when the captain is in the lineup. He has at least a point in 21 of the last 22 games heading into the postseason.

Los Angeles was a very similar team this season to last. It allowed the third-fewest goals per game in 2023-24 and the second-fewest this season.

Defence went out the window in Edmonton’s Game 1 win last season, though. McDavid had five assists and went on to lead the Oilers to the Cup Final, where they fell one game short.

That was against McDavid’s best effort, however. He won the Conn Smythe after scoring 42 points in 25 games, with 12 multi-point games mixed in.

I simply cannot pass on this pick in the playoffs at plus money.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks made at 1:30 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Oilers vs. Kings Game 1 prop picks: Bet on Azne Kopitar, Connor McDavid

The Edmonton Oilers start their journey back to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings.

The pregame narrative: This will be a repeat of last year’s opening series, which the Oilers won 4-1. Can the Kings get a different result this season, or will history repeat itself? I have prop picks on Anze Kopitar and Connor McDavid for Game 1.

Check out my Oilers vs. Kings prop picks for Game 1 of the opening round.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks

Best Bet: Kopitar to score 1+ points (-115)

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Kopitar is turning into an ageless wonder as he continues to lead the defensively stout Los Angeles Kings.

He’s known for his elite defensive ability, but his offensive production was still there in his age-37 season.

The centreman scored 67 points in 81 games (0.83 per game), which is right around his career scoring average (0.88 per game). He had at least a point in 13 of the final 23 contests.

Edmonton is an average defensive team. It ranks 14th in goals allowed and kills penalties at a below-average 78.2% rate.

The Oilers will be without Mattias Ekholm for the entirety of the first round. He’s one of their top defenceman and his absence will open up more offence for Los Angeles.

Key stat: The Kings recently played Edmonton on April 14. Kopitar had two assists in a 5-0 win for L.A.

Quick picks

McDavid to score 2+ points (+132): A big reason the Oilers were shut out last week against the Kings (5-0 on Monday) was the absence of McDavid.

That rarely occurs when the captain is in the lineup. He has at least a point in 21 of the last 22 games heading into the postseason.

Los Angeles was a very similar team this season to last. It allowed the third-fewest goals per game in 2023-24 and the second-fewest this season.

Defence went out the window in Edmonton’s Game 1 win last season, though. McDavid had five assists and went on to lead the Oilers to the Cup Final, where they fell one game short.

That was against McDavid’s best effort, however. He won the Conn Smythe after scoring 42 points in 25 games, with 12 multi-point games mixed in.

I simply cannot pass on this pick in the playoffs at plus money.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks made at 11:30 a.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 best bets: Look for Jack Eichel to lead Vegas to victory

The final game on Sunday’s Stanley Cup playoff schedule is between the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights.

The pregame narrative: The Golden Knights come into this series with all the momentum. I’m taking the home side to cover the puck line at plus money. My other pick is on Jack Eichel to produce as a passer.

Check out my Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 predictions below.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions

Best Bet: Golden Knights -1.5 (+130)

The Wild started the season hot, winning 20 of their first 30 games (and four of the losses were in overtime).

That’s when the injury bug hit the locker room. First, it was Kirill Kaprizov, who was near the top of the NHL in scoring when he got hurt.

Other important pieces, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin, also dealt with injuries. All three guys missed more than 30 games.

The final day of the regular season was the first time Minnesota had a fully healthy roster since Nov. 20.

That led to some poor defensive statistics that I’m not sure can be fixed in such a short time.

7th-most shots against (29.6/game)
3rd-worst penalty kill (72.4%)

The Wild ranked closer to the middle of the pack for goals against, thanks to Filip Gustavsson, who had an excellent season (2.56 GAA, .914 SV%).

But he can only do so much when his team allows a high volume of chances at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Vegas comes into this series without injury issues, except for maybe Alex Pietrangelo, who’s still trying to find his stride after missing a couple of months.

The Knights finished second in the Western Conference and rank near the top of the NHL in several categories:

5th in goals/game (3.34)
4th in shots/game (30.3)
2nd in PP percentage (28.3%)
3rd in goals against/game (2.61)

They have the perfect style to capitalize on Minnesota’s weaknesses. I expect Vegas to dominate this game to take an early hold on this series.

Key stat: The Knights had a 29-9-3 record at home this season.

Quick pick

Eichel to record 1+ assists (-120): Eichel struggled down the stretch as he dealt with a minor upper-body injury that forced him to miss a few games.

That led to just one point in five appearances in April, but I’m not worried in the slightest.

Eichel was an assist machine this year. He finished sixth in the NHL with 66 assists and went on a tear in March.

During that month, he had 15 helpers and went 10-4 against this line. Considering the Wild are a below-average defensive team, Eichel has an early chance to make his mark on this series.

Eichel had five points (two assists) in two games against Minnesota this season.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions made at 11:21 a.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 best bets: Look for Jack Eichel to lead Vegas to victory

The final game on Sunday’s Stanley Cup playoff schedule is between the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights.

The pregame narrative: The Golden Knights come into this series with all the momentum. I’m taking the home side to cover the puck line at plus money. My other pick is on Jack Eichel to produce as a passer.

Check out my Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 predictions below.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions

Best Bet: Golden Knights -1.5 (+133)

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The Wild started the season hot, winning 20 of their first 30 games (and four of the losses were in overtime).

That’s when the injury bug hit the locker room. First, it was Kirill Kaprizov, who was near the top of the NHL in scoring when he got hurt.

Other important pieces, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin, also dealt with injuries. All three guys missed more than 30 games.

The final day of the regular season was the first time Minnesota had a fully healthy roster since Nov. 20.

That led to some poor defensive statistics that I’m not sure can be fixed in such a short time.

7th-most shots against (29.6/game)
3rd-worst penalty kill (72.4%)

The Wild ranked closer to the middle of the pack for goals against, thanks to Filip Gustavsson, who had an excellent season (2.56 GAA, .914 SV%).

But he can only do so much when his team allows a high volume of chances at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Vegas comes into this series without injury issues, except for maybe Alex Pietrangelo, who’s still trying to find his stride after missing a couple of months.

The Knights finished second in the Western Conference and rank near the top of the NHL in several categories:

5th in goals/game (3.34)
4th in shots/game (30.3)
2nd in PP percentage (28.3%)
3rd in goals against/game (2.61)

They have the perfect style to capitalize on Minnesota’s weaknesses. I expect Vegas to dominate this game to take an early hold on this series.

Key stat: The Knights had a 29-9-3 record at home this season.

Quick pick

Eichel to record 1+ assists (-118): Eichel struggled down the stretch as he dealt with a minor upper-body injury that forced him to miss a few games.

That led to just one point in five appearances in April, but I’m not worried in the slightest.

Eichel was an assist machine this year. He finished sixth in the NHL with 66 assists and went on a tear in March.

During that month, he had 15 helpers and went 10-4 against this line. Considering the Wild are a below-average defensive team, Eichel has an early chance to make his mark on this series.

Eichel had five points (two assists) in two games against Minnesota this season.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions made at 9:15 a.m. ET 04/20/2025.