Mark Lammey
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We aren’t quite back to our full 4-game slate for the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, but we at least have 3 games on the ice after last night’s 2 matchups and 2 of them are elimination games! First, the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to get their revenge on the Tampa Bay Lightning after they knocked them out in the first round last year. The nightcap sees the Vegas Golden Knights looking to eliminate the Winnipeg Jets. We’re focused on that matchup and the Rangers vs Devils Game 5 for our top NHL player props today.
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Mika Zibanejad over 0.5 assists (+115)
The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils have had the strangest series thus far. It was expected to be the closest series of the entire first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it’s now tied at 2-2. However, how we got here is the strange part. The Rangers got off to a 2-0 lead while on the road, and then lost each of the next 2 games in Madison Square Garden. Now they head back across the Hudson River to the Prudential Center in New Jersey. If the first 2 games showed us anything, it’s that the Rangers should be able to bounce back.
We targeted Adam Fox earlier in the series, but we’re focused on the consistency of Zibanejad today. Admittedly, he’s an excellent shooter, but New York has other elite goalscorers as well in Patrick Kane and Chris Kreider. Therefore, we’re comfortable backing Zibanejad to link up with one of them and record an assist. He’s done so in 2 of the 4 games in this series. Similarly, he recorded an assist in each of the last 3 regular-season games against the Devils. With the Rangers seemingly more comfortable on the road in this series, I anticipate a big night from Zibanejad.
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Kyle Connor over 0.5 goals (+165)
The nightcap is an elimination game for the Winnipeg Jets. They were expected to lose this series after stumbling into the postseason with the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. While it’s likely they don’t advance to the second round, that doesn’t mean they can’t still help us cash our NHL player props. We’re focused on Kyle Connor, who has always been the volume shooter and top goalscorer for the Jets. It’s going to be even more on him with Mark Scheifele’s injury in Game 4.
Connor had yet another 30-goal season and has 2 goals in this series. It’s been in each of the odd-numbered games, so Game 5 should keep the theme going. He also led the team in shots with 273 and is averaging 6 per game in this series. Connor may not get the name recognition of other elite goalscorers such as Auston Matthews and David Pastrnak, but he’s been consistent for quite some time. Following his rookie year, he’s had at least 30 goals in 5 of his 6 seasons. With his team now on the brink of elimination, we expect him to do his part in trying to keep Winnipeg alive.
Be sure to check out our Winnipeg Jets vs Vegas Golden Knights prediction
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