Mark Lammey
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Saturdays in the NHL have always meant action throughout the day, and the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are no different. We have the Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets getting the day started with an afternoon matchup. That’s just 1 of the 3 series that are tied at 1-1 as each one switches locations for Game 3. When we had these 4 matchups on the board Thursday, our NHL player props went 2-0. We targeted a Lightning and Avalanche skater, and we’re going to get things started the same way and switch up our 2nd target. Tampa hosts the 2nd game of the day, so let’s get right into it.
Along with our player props, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for today’s action.
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Nikita Kucherov over 0.5 goals (+195)
We targeted Steven Stamkos to record an assist on Thursday night, and now we’re focused on Nikita Kucherov. The fact that we can target multiple future Hall-of-Famers on the same team already bodes well. That means plenty of skating talent around Kucherov to dish him an assist to find the back of the net. That’s something he’s done quite regularly throughout his career. Since Kucherov’s rookie season in 2013-14, he has absolutely dominated the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In that time frame, Kucherov has a ridiculous 53 goals and 104 points, which are the most in both regards. Along the way, he’s had 3 different 100-point seasons, including his 113 this season. That also included a Hart Trophy for the NHL’s MVP in 2019 when he led the league with 128 points. Kucherov may have been held pointless in Game 2, but he’s notched a goal in 6 of his last 9 games against Toronto in the regular season and one in Game 1 of this series. With the Lightning being the highest-scoring team at home this season, we expect Kucherov to continue his dominance.
Be sure to check out our Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning prediction
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Jack Hughes over 0.5 goals (+175)
We’re going from a seasoned veteran with a Hall-of-Fame career to a 21-year-old phenom. There’s no denying that the New Jersey Devils have struggled in this series so far. However, we’re not focused on them winning Game 3. Getting away from the pressures of the home crowd may actually help the Devils, Hughes included. This was truly his breakout season, as he ended the year with an impressive 99 points. If not for a handful of missed games due to a lower body injury, he certainly would’ve surpassed the coveted 100-point mark.
Regardless, he was still able to record a 40-goal season and ended with 43. Betting on a skater to score that is facing New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is not always the best way to approach things. However, Hughes has proven to be matchup proof. The youngster recorded at least a goal in 4 of his 4 games against the Rangers this season and 4 in total. Even going back to last season, he had 2 goals in their last game against New York. Finally, Hughes also led the team in expected goals on Thursday night, per MoneyPuck. He may only just be able to legally buy a beer, but his shooting skills are far beyond his years.
Be sure to check out our New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers prediction
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