Maple Leafs aim to force Game 7 as they trail 3-2, heading to Florida for a must-win Game 6 against the Panthers on Friday

One of the most important games in the recent history of the Toronto Maple Leafs as they stare down a daunting 3-2 series hole to the defending champions in the Florida Panthers.

The odds are stacked against them as only ten teams in history have come back and won a series after winning the first two games before dropping three straight.

A loss for the Buds on Friday would be the first time this season that they lost four straight games and with the way game five went, they should respond with a much better effort. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 38-29 record on our last 67 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Under 5.5 goals (-105)
• Panthers Under 3.5 goals (-128)
• Sergei Bobrovsky Over 22.5 saves (-102)

The game got out of hand for Toronto in game five and because of it the over hit with the Panthers continuing to pile on to a emotionally defeated Leafs team. 

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I expect a much better response on defence as they will be playing for their playoff lives and put extra effort on the back end to prevent another blow up performance. 

It should lead to a busy night for netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who has made 23 or more saves in three of the five games this series and with Toronto desperately looking to extend the series, I expect him to do it once again. 

Florida should respond with a similar type game as they will work extra hard to close out this series and punch their ticket to the Conference Finals versus Carolina. The home atmosphere has proven to be a massive advantage for the Panthers with a league-best 17-9 home playoff record over the last three postseasons. 

Their goals per game isn't especially terrifying during that stretch at three on average but their 2.54 goals against average is one of the best. It should mean a challenging night for the already-struggling Leafs offence that has just one goal over the last two games. 

Toronto typically finishes playoff series with tight, low-scoring games. For instance, their game seven against Boston last season ended with just three total goals. In their final game against Florida in 2023, only five goals were scored and their 2022 series-ending loss to Tampa Bay, totaled just three goals in game seven.

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This trend has been with the Buds in six of their last eight postseason runs dating back to 2017 so expect them to tighten up when they need to. The Panthers should find a way to win but it will be narrow and certainly not with four or more goals. 

Panthers seek 3-2 series edge before returning home; Maple Leafs aim to bounce back after two road losses.

This is the most important game of the Maple Leafs' season so far, as they've already had two chances to secure a win and move within one victory of reaching the Conference Finals. 

However, the Panthers battled back with two home wins and now could put Toronto on the ropes with a win on the road during game five. It'll be another tight game with both teams looking to win the most crucial game of the series yet. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 36-28 record on our last 64 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Panthers ML (-145)
• Under 5.5 goals (-102)
• Sam Reinhart Over 0.5 points (-170)

Florida has been in these kind of high pressure situations before after making the last two Stanley Cup Finals and have adjusted to playing crucial games and scoring when they need to.

When making it to the Conference Finals last season, the Panthers went on the road with the series tied at 2-2 against the top team in the East in the New York Rangers. Florida scored two clutch goals in third and went on to win the series and then the Stanley Cup. 

These moments they are familiar and comfortable with plus the confidence built from two dominant home wins should propel them into a solid effort for game five.

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Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a 23-save shutout, and there’s still anticipation for bigger games out of players like Matthew Tkachuk, who has yet to score, and Sam Reinhart, who has recorded points in just one of the four games so far this series. 

After finishing with almost 40 goals this season, I expect Reinhart to play a much better game alongside his red hot centre in Aleksander Barkov. I wouldn't expect a lot of scoring in this however as the series is starting to tighten up physically, the scores will start to shrink much like the 2-0 win for Florida in game four. 

Toronto netminder Joseph Woll has done everything he possibly can to keep his team in every game and should keep up his stellar play when returning home, where he finished with a 13-5-0 record this season and has yet to record a loss in two home starts this postseason. 

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Dallas Stars look to take 3-1 series lead while Winnipeg Jets search for first road playoff win

The Dallas Stars look hard to beat as they look to be getting healthier with star defenceman Miro Heiskanen potentially coming back for game four. The Winnipeg Jets face a dire situation as they must put on a valiant effort to even up the series and do so on the road where they haven't won a game this postseason. 

A 3-1 series deficit will be very tough to overcome for the reigning President's trophy winners and adds serious stakes for game four of the series. The Stars will look to stay hot and put themselves one win away from their third straight conference Finals.

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 36-26 record on our last 62 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL:Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars Best Bets:

• Over 5.5 goals (-120)
• Jets Over 2.5 goals (-118)
• Mark Schefiele Over 0.5 points (-170)

This one will once again rely heavily on one player and that's Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck. After allowing five more goals in game three, we are getting a very clear image of the struggles the Michigan native is having. 

Hellebuyck reps the third-worst goals against average of the playoffs at 3.51 and the worst save percentage at .848 over ten starts. It's completely different from the goaltender that is on the verge of winning back-to-back Vezina trophies. 

At home, he's been sensational with a 5-1 record and a 1.99 goals against average but on the road his numbers plummet to a 0-4 record, a 6.65 average and a .722 save percentage.

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The numbers are so bad that we can't go against a consistent trend and should lead to a decent amount of goals, enough to cover our over. 

The Jets will be looking at this game as an absolute must-win as they should with a 3-1 series deficit virtually sealing their fate. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger has been sensational but has shown cracks with .908 save percentage in five home playoff starts.

He's lost just one of those starts and has a 2.49 average but with how hot he's been lately, he may fall off in a game where Winnipeg wants it more. 

After scoring two goals in game three, I expect a much better effort out of this group and should lead to yet another over as the Jets have totalled six or more goals with their opponent in seven of their ten playoffs game so far.

They've gone over once in the last three games and should signal for a big spot here where the Jets come out flying. 

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Winnipeg forward Mark Schefiele has been battling injuries this postseason but hasn't shown much slowing down as he's recorded eight points in as many games.

He didn't get on the board during game three but will do so in game four as his line chemistry with Kyle Connor can almost generate at least one goal once they get hot.

Who gets the Cup first? NHL insiders pick likely Stanley Cup handoff heroes for each contender.

The moment every kid dreams of is the one where they hoist the Stanley Cup. Some of the most memorable moments from Stanley Cup wins is when the team captain makes the first handoff to a player who worked long and hard to finally lift up the greatest trophy in sports. 

Who could forget when Ray Bourque finally won his first Stanley Cup in year 22 of his legendary career? Or when Scott Niedermayer passed the Cup to his brother Rob in 2007? 

These iconic moments endure through time, creating unforgettable memories as fans witness the players who’ve represented them for generations finally achieve the ultimate glory in the sport.

With that in mind we look at all the eight current Stanley Cup Contenders and spoke with team insiders as to which player would most likely get the first handoff. 

All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

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Winnipeg Jets - Mark Schefiele (+10000)

We spoke to both of The Hockey News' Winnipeg Jets insiders in Carter Brooks and Julian Gaudio with the two coming to the consensus that captain Adam Lowry’s first handoff would go to Mark Scheifele, the first-ever draft pick of this era of the Jets franchise.

The 32-year-old Kitchener native has been with the team for 14 seasons and has totaled 804 points through 879 career games. Scheifele is the longest active tenured Jet and makes the most sense for the honor of getting the Cup first. 

Dallas Stars - Tyler Seguin (+800)

Mikko Rantanen is putting together a solid resume for the Conn Smythe trophy if the Stars were to win the cup but would that mean he gets the Cup first? Team insider Taylor Newby believes it would be longtime Star Tyler Seguin being the first handoff. 

After spending the first three years of his career in Boston, Seguin has solidified himself as a Dallas Stars legend with 688 points through 786 games over 12 seasons with the team.

He and captain Jamie Benn have been known to have a very close relationship and they are the team's two longest tenured players and would make the most sense for them to celebrate the moment together.

Edmonton Oilers - Adam Henrique (+10000)

The Devils run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012 was headlined by several big goals by a young Henrique, who put his name on the map. Unfortunately the Devils fell just short but the now 35-year-old centre is still on the hunt for his first cup and could get a chance with the red hot Oilers. 

People expect McDavid to pass it to his star teammate in Draisaitl but history shows the veterans get it first. When Sidney Crosby won all three of his Stanley Cups, none of his first handoffs were to superstar teammate Evgeni Malkin. 

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Vegas Golden Knights - Tomas Hertl (+3000)

The 31-year-old forward came close to lifting lord Stanley when reaching the Finals in 2016 with the San Jose Sharks. Gaudio also covers the Golden Knights and spoke to Hertl's character of being a positive guy and that the team would be more than happy to give him to Cup first. 

Toronto Maple Leafs - John Tavares (+750)

The hometown hero has been a difference maker to Toronto’s success this season, racking up 74 points—including 38 goals, matching the second-highest total of his career. After being the Leafs captain over the last five seasons, Tavares stepped down to allow superstar Auston Matthews to take over as the leader and face of the franchise they drafted him to be. 

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Johnny Toronto getting the Cup first makes as he is the third-oldest player on the team but an honorable mention is veteran Max Pacioretty, who is the oldest on the team at 36 years old. 

Florida Panthers - Nate Schmidt (+1500)

The runaway favourite for the defending Stanley Cup Champions is newcomer Nate Schmidt, who has come close before when reaching the Finals in 2018 with the Vegas Golden Knights.

At age 33, Schmidt has played nearly 750 games and has accrued a dominant +106 rating, which is 48th-best in the NHL since joining the league back in the 2013-14 season. 

Carolina Hurricanes - Brent Burns (+490)

Hurricanes insider Ryan Henkel agrees with sportsbooks that have Burns as the overall favourite to be the first handoff for the cup.

The sure-fire Hall-of-Fame defenceman has never won before despite ranking ninth all-time in goals and 12th in points. He currently holds the fourth longest iron man streak in the NHL and is three games short of 1,500 games played. 

Washington Capitals - Nic Dowd (+10000)

Washington's pick is easy as the 34-year-old winger joined the Caps shortly after they won the Stanley Cup in 2018 and has become such an integral part of the team that many may not know, he hasn't won yet. 

Team captain Alex Ovechkin will surely spot that their second-oldest player on the roster after himself hasn't won yet and deserves the respect of getting the first handoff. 

Maple Leafs aim for commanding 3-1 lead while Panthers look to even up the series

The Maple Leafs stunned the Cats in the first two games of their second round series but Florida responded with a hard-fought overtime victory in game three. The game was another battle with both sides looking to inflict as much pain as possible. 

Game three will make for an exciting showcase as the Panthers will look to even up the series while the Maple Leafs aim to put Florida on the ropes with a 3-1 series lead headed back to Toronto for game five. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 33-25 record on our last 58 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Panthers ML (-190)
• Under 6.5 goals (-134)
• Anton Lundell Over 0.5 points (+142)
• Maple Leafs Under 2.5 goals (-108) 

The Panthers have life once again and it's mainly because of their red hot third line. Headlined by Brad Marchand, the offensive unit has combined for four goals including the game winner in game three. Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen have worked well with the former Bruins captain and Lundell works as the best value option as he also mans the second power play unit with Marchand.

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Florida's Finnish centre played a significant role in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season with 17 points in 24 games. He's been red hot with three goals and five assists for eight points over his last five games and should get back on the board after failing to do so in game three. 

The game may once again be high-scoring as every game of the series has gone over but I expect that we will finally get a big Sergei Bobrovsky game. The Russian netminder has experienced his career-worst stretch versus the Maple Leafs over the last three games with 13 goals allowed.

He should bounce back when the team needs him and keep the Panthers in this game. I expect Joseph Woll to do the same for the Buds as his career playoff numbers show he is far better than his 11 goals allowed over three appearances this postseason.

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Anaheim Ducks signing former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville could signal future signing of hall-of-fame player

The Anaheim Ducks are looking to do everything they can to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season and one of their biggest adds may be yet to come with a hall-of-fame player potentially joining the fold. 

It was reported midway through the NHL season, that longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is expected to make a return to the NHL, according to an interview he had with GQ Sports. It was confirmed by The Athletic's Mark Lazerus that it won't be with the Blackhawks. This spawned many theories as to which team the three-time Stanley Cup champion may join with Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman giving their take on why the team could be the Ducks. 

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Bukauskas made the connection that Anaheim recently signed former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville as their bench boss of the future and noted that Toews may want to play for the coach he won his Stanley Cups with. 

"One thing I can tell you Kyle is a lot of players in the league who like Quenneville and Toews was obviously one of them," "I would say without making a call...that's a really good connection."

- Friedman said in response to the idea

The addition of Toews would be a perfect fit for a young Ducks team that has been vocal about wanting to make the playoffs next season.

We likely won't see odds come out for playoffs next season for some time but this would make the Ducks worth a serious look as they could continue to add pieces as they have draft capital and young talent like Trevor Zegras that teams will want. Anaheim could look to flip Zegras for more experienced that could help lift this team into the postseason. 

Toews missed the 2020–21 bubble season as he recovered from COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome but then returned for 124 games over the next two seasons, but in August 2023, he announced he was stepping away from hockey to give himself time to fully recover from his aliments.

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During his last NHL action in the 2022-23 season, Toews recorded 15 goals and 16 assists in 53 games. The Winnipeg native was among the Blackhawks' all-time greats, earning a Selke Trophy in 2013 and ranking sixth in franchise history with 883 points across 1,067 regular-season games. A standout in the playoffs as well, the now 36-year-old sits fifth in team history with 119 points in 139 postseason appearances.

Maple Leafs aim for commanding 3-0 lead while Panthers look to win first game of the series

The Maple Leafs stunned the Cats in the first two game of their second round series, giving Toronto their first sizeable second round lead in over three decades.

The game was a battle with both sides looking to inflict as much pain as possible with Toronto receiving the worst of things as they lost starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz but backup Joseph Woll shined in his absence. 

Game three will make for an exciting showcase as the Panthers will look to exact revenge and claw their way back into the series. Toronto on the other hand, will aim to put Florida firmly against the ropes and secure their second 3-0 series lead of the postseason after doing so to Ottawa in the forest round. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 33-23 record on our last 55 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

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All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Panthers -1.5 (+116)
• Matthew Tkachuk Under 0.5 points (+172)
• Maple Leafs Under 2.5 goals (-130) 

Leafs fans are anxiously awaiting for one thing: a standout game from Matthew Tkachuk.

With just one point through the first two games and no goals in four straight games, the Scottsdale native is becoming more and more due for a big game. Tkachuk recorded 22 points in 24 games last postseason with few cold streaks but it is worth mentioning only six of those 22 points were goals. 

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After recording back-to-back 40-goal seasons in 2022 and 2023, he has turned away from goal scoring and has scored 48 goals in the previous two years. This could be attributed to Tkachuk pivoting his style of play to more of a two-way play style similar to Auston Matthews and could cut into his scoring production. 

Matthew Tkachuk has been placed on IR with a groin injury.✔️ Subscribe to ESPN+ https://plus.espn.com/✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn✔️ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoY...

It could also be a symptom of his undisclosed injury that he suffered at the Four Nations. He has rarely played big-time minutes this postseason with 13 minutes or fewer in three of his last seven games. We are going to go against the public and actually fade Tkachuk in this spot the limited oppurtunies should continue to hold him back. 

The Panthers should bounce back however as it would be a new world of danger for Florida if goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had another start with four goals allowed. The 36-year-old has never in his career allowed three or more goals in three consecutive starts versus Toronto in the same season with the only time it happening being in matchups separated by two years apart in 2020 with Columbus and in 2022 with Florida. 

This should help lift Florida to a much needed win and keep themselves off the ropes for another game and give themselves a chance to tie in game four. Florida has also covered the puck line as a favourite in four straight four home matchups versus Toronto.

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Edmonton Oilers aim for commanding 2-0 series lead over Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday

The Golden Knights were stunned in their first game versus the Oilers as Leon Draisaitl and company came back from a two-goal deficit with four unanswered goals for a shocking 4-2 victory. 

Vegas will look to come back and even up the series while Edmonton looks to take a commanding 2-0 series lead before heading back home.

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 31-21 record on our last 51 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL: Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights Best Bets:

• Golden Knights ML (-134)
• Golden Knights Over 3.5 goals (+104)
• Golden Knights Score First (-125)
• Tomas Hertl Over 0.5 points (-156)
• Ivan Barbashev Over 0.5 points (+142)

It would be very surprising to see the Golden Knights drop both of their home games to start the series as they've done this just once in their last 19 home playoff games.

We can expect a much harder effort in this spot and there's a pair of forwards that should snap point droughts in Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev, who both have gone three games without finding the scoresheet. 

Barbashev dominated during the Golden Knights series versus Edmonton in 2023 with three goals and three assists for six points through as many games.

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The 29-year-old Russian winger is listed on Vegas' top line and will most definitely continue seeing chances while playing with a superstar centre in Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights top playoff performer in recent years with captain Mark Stone. 

Hertl hasn't found the same success in this matchup with one point over his last six games versus Edmonton but that could mean he is due for a big game. 

The former San Jose Shark has been red hot to end the season and into the first round with four goals and three assists for seven points over a five-game stretch before his recent cold streak. He also plays meaningful minutes as he's slated on the team's second line and mans the top power play unit. 

The two should give the Golden Knights a massive push on offence while the Oilers continue to have defensive woes with three or more goals allowed in five of their seven playoff games so far.

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Toronto Maple Leafs aim for 2-0 series lead with a win over Florida Panthers on Wednesday

The Maple Leafs stunned the Cats in game one of their second round series, giving Toronto their first second round lead in 23 years. The game was a battle with both sides looking to inflict as much pain as possible with Toronto receiving the worst of things as they lost starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz. 

Game two will make for an exciting showcase as the Buds will look to exact revenge and seperate themselves further with a 2-0 series lead. Florida on the other hand, will look to even up the series before heading home. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 30-19 record on our last 49 picks, including perfect records during Game one and four of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

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Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Under 5.5 goals (-104)
• Panthers ML (-142)
• Mitch Marner anytime goal (+280)

The Leafs are being asked to do something they've never done before while the Panthers are being asked just to stay the course and do what they do best which is win during the postseason.

The loss in game one was a tight one as the Leafs got out to an early lead and made sure to keep their foot on the gas long enough to get the win but it wasn't without bumps in the road. 

Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky had a rare off night as he allowed several goals that could've been saved or prevented with better defence like Matthew Knies' breakaway goal.

With an early goal and several defensive breakdowns from the opponent, Toronto caught a break that many didn't expect and here's where some correction should come back. 

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The five goals allowed was rare considering Bobrovsky's track record of a 8-4-0 record and a 2.36 goals against average over his last 12 starts versus Toronto.

The Russian goaltender should bounce back in this spot and I also expect Joseph Woll to chip in enough to keep this game low-scoring. Woll has a 2.12 goals against average and .924 save percentage in six career playoff starts. 

There shouldn't be a ton of goals but one player I do expect to score is Mitch Marner. I've missed on the Toronto native a couple times as of late but he should be finally due in this spot. He's a new father and was looking for the back of the net in game one after finishing with four shots on net. 

The team will be in desperate need of goals in this one as it will be very tight and Marner rides a six-game goal drought, which should make him overdue for a goal here.

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We get a tremendous value here for one of the Leafs top offensive players, who is playing on the team's top line with two other red hot forwards in Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. 

It's an easy slam dunk pick but if you wanna play it safe, taking Marner to get a point is a trustworthy pick at -245 odds and works as a decent parlay add.

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Vegas Golden Knights face defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers in rematch of their 2023 playoff series

Get ready for a rematch that might be even nastier the second time around. The Oilers and Golden Knights clash again after a six-game slugfest back in 2023 that saw Vegas eliminate Edmonton en route to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. This time, both sides look loaded for another run, with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl trying to write a different ending.

The Golden Knights haven’t missed a beat as they are once again a powerhouse contender after finishing a top the Central division. Vegas forward Jack Eichel has elevated his game, captain Mark Stone is back healthy, and their blue line remains among the league’s most lethal. 

Edmonton, meanwhile, just dismantled Los Angeles in six after winning four straight games and boasts the NHL’s second-best power play — a weapon that took them to the Stanley Cup final last June. These teams don’t like each other, and the stakes are even higher now. Don’t be surprised if this one goes the distance — and gets ugly along the way.

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

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Brandon Saad 2+ Series Goals (+155)

The Blues bought out the 32-year-old veteran forward as he wanted to go to a contender. Saad has been known as a playoff performer throughout his career with 27 goals and 30 assists for 57 points in 109 postseason games. He reached the mountain top in 2015 when he won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks and would like to add another to his trophy case. 

Saad is still a decent source of points for an older player as he finished the season with 14 points through 29 games since joining Vegas. The Pittsburgh native will get more meaningful minutes on the Golden Knights second line and should produce offence at some point while playing with an elite player in Tomas Hertl as his centre. 

He has yet to score this postseason and rides a six-game goal drought that is bound to end. We can count on at least one goal as the sportsbooks have Saad at -300 odds to get one goal, which means we'd only need one more to cash this bet. The Oilers allowed 24 goals through the first round and Saad should take advantage. 

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Mark Stone - Series Leading Scorer (+1100)

Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are the clear two favourites for this bet but we again look to exploit a bleeding defence like the Oilers. Vegas is without their top scorer in Pavel Dorofeyev and will need someone else to step up like their top playoff performer over the last seven postseasons in captain Mark Stone. 

With 34 goals and 34 assists for 68 points over his last 81 games, Stone is top 11 in postseason scoring and has yet to pop off for a big series with four points in the first round.

I think we can expect an over point-per-game series out of Stone and should put him in the conversation for the points leader of this series. He will continue playing on a line with Jack Eichel, who finished with the sixth-most assists in the NHL this season at 66 and recorded four more in the first round. 

*IF HEALTHY* Pavel Dorofeyev 2+ Series Goals (-105) 

The Golden Knights leading scorer this season was a breakout star in Dorofeyev. The 24-year-old Russian star has emerged as a top-end talent, netting 35 goals along with 17 assists for 52 points in a full-82 game season. Dorofeyev continued his success with a goal in the first round versus a strong defensive team in Minnesota before being sidelined with an undisclosed injury and missing game six. 

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It's a bit of a risk since the extent of the injury is still unknown, but if he's able to return for Game one, this bet looks solid. He'll have plenty of scoring opportunities playing on the second line alongside Hertl and Saad, and he'll also see time on the top power play unit with Eichel. As mentioned before, the Oilers defence is bleeding with no clear starter and the Golden Knights top scorer will more than likely take advantage.

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Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights – Series Schedule:

• Game 1: Tuesday, May 6 – Edmonton at Vegas

• Game 2: Thursday, May 8 – Edmonton at Vegas

• Game 3: Saturday, May 10 – Vegas at Edmonton

• Game 4: Monday, May 12 – Vegas at Edmonton

• Game 5: Wednesday, May 14 – Edmonton at Vegas

• Game 6: Friday, May 16 – Vegas at Edmonton

• Game 7: Sunday, May 18 – Edmonton at Vegas