Ryan Hodges
Show Bio
The bridge to Friday brings a solid 9-game NHL slate highlighted by Bruins vs Lightning and Penguins vs Capitals. The rivalry games, valuable standings points and star power on Thursday night will be worth the watch from dinner time until bedtime. Regardless of whether your team is suited up, it will be a great night to post up and soak in this schedule. If you are looking to have some action, here are our favorite NHL player props for today We’re on an incredible 13-3 streak right now, so let’s keep the good times rolling! You can also check out our NHL picks for all of today’s games.
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Pavel Zacha over 0.5 points (+120)
Given how good the Bruins are, it feels like their entire roster would be good picks for player props. On Thursday night, Pavel Zacha has great value at +120 odds to get on the score sheet with a goal and/or assist. Boston has played Tampa twice this season in games the Bruins won by 2 goals each. Zacha had a point in both. This has all the makings of a great game but go figure, the Bruins appear to have the edge again. As good as the Lightning are, the Bruins are just plain better. They have had more success both recently and long term this season, and are the fastest team in NHL history to 80 points. If they can stick to or near their 4 goals per game average against the Lightning, Zacha has a good chance to be in the mix.
Since they were dealt their first home regulation loss of the season, Boston has won 6 straight by an average score of 4.17-1.17. They are playing great hockey as usual, and Pavel Zacha has been a solid contributor. He has tallied 6 points in the Bruins’ last 5 games and plays meaningful minutes with key players. Zacha is on Boston’s 2nd line with David Krejci and David Pastrnak, and is on their 2nd power play with Krejci, Nick Foligno, Charlie Coyle and Hampus Lindholm. Zacha is in a position to succeed and has produced lately in this top lineup in the league. Plus-money odds for a point is good value.
Be sure to check out our full Boston Bruins vs Tampa Bay Lightning predictions
Mikko Rantanen over 1.5 points (+110)
This is a very lopsided matchup in favor of the Avalanche. Their current 7-game win streak has propelled them to typical Avalanche form assuming they sustain it. The Ducks have the 2nd-fewest points in the NHL and have far and away the worst goal differential. They have the league’s worst goal prevention and 3rd-worst penalty kill. The Avalanche are playing with a chip on their shoulder and unless they completely mail it in, Colorado should run up the score on Thursday night. That being the case, look for some familiar names to pop up a few times on the scoresheet. In terms of odds and value, Mikko Rantanen stands out as a player to target.
Rantanen leads the Avalanche with 58 points in 46 games. With all of the injury trouble the team has had, they likely would not be where they are without Rantanen’s performance and contributions this season. He averages more than a point per game which almost feels like a formality with this favorable matchup against a bad Ducks team. Rantanen skates an average of over 23 minutes per game, and at any time is likely on the ice with some combination of Valeri Nichushkin, JT Compher, Devon Toews, Artturi Lehkonen and some guy named Nathan MacKinnon, all while they are still missing key players. Rantanen has carried the team as a whole this season and has shown no signs of slowing down.
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