Mark Lammey
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There are just 5 games on the board today, but that also means hundreds of players to target. There are some close matchups and teams on back-to-backs so it can be difficult to find value in sides or totals. However, we can pinpoint specific skaters for individual performances instead. We’ve come up with our best 2 plays and we’ll be taking advantage of teams on those back-to-backs. The skaters we’re targeting look set to have big days and both have plus-money odds. Along with our player props, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for today’s action.
Let’s take a closer look at my favorite player props.
Artemi Panarin over 1.5 points (+160)
The New York Rangers left winger is coming off of an incredible season and is picking up right where he left off. Panarin ended last year with 96 points, the 9th-most in the NHL. His 74 assists were the 4th-most in the league, and was also a consideration for this play. However, oddsmakers are clearly catching on to how great of a season he is off too and that price is far too high. Therefore, we’re going with him to record multiple points today. Panarin and the Rangers get to take on a Columbus Blue Jackets team that is on the second night of a back-to-back.
Not only do they have to take on a great New York squad, they had to face the Pittsburgh Penguins last night. That’s a perfect recipe for Panarin, nicknamed the Bread Man, to cook up a great game. The Jackets are already allowing the 6th-most goals per game this season, and will now have a backup goaltender in net. Panarin is off to a 5-game point streak to start the season, and doesn’t need the extra help anyway. In 3 games against Columbus last season, he hit this prop in each one and tallied 8 points in the process. Everything points to a huge game from Panarin, so this is a great play at plus-money odds.
Be sure to check out our Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers predictions
Aleksander Barkov over 1.5 points (+165)
We’re going to target another skater to have multiple points that may seem to have a worse matchup at first glance. There’s no denying that the New York Islanders are a defensive team, but they too are on the second night of a back-to-back. Worse yet, they’re on the road for both of them and facing the juggernauts of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. They decided to put starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin in net last night, who is a vital piece to their defensive prowess.
That spells great news for Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers. Barkov recorded 88 points in just 67 games last season, and feasted on the Islanders at the end of last season. Florida had the #1 seed all but wrapped up, but Barkov refused to slow down. He had a hat-trick in that contest, and that was with Sorokin in net. Now he has Matthew Tkachuk skating alongside him, who had 104 points last season and 8 already this year. With him providing more opportunities for Barkov, expect a big game from the Panthers center today.
Be sure to check out our New York Islanders vs Florida Panthers predictions
NHL Player Prop Honorable Mentions
Chris Kreider (NY Rangers) to score a goal – He scored the 3rd-most goals in the NHL last season with 52, and he had 2 goals in back-to-back meetings against the Blue Jackets.
Andrew Copp (DET Red Wings) to record a point – He helped lead the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals last season with 18 points in his 16 games with the team and the Ducks are allowing the 4th-most goals per game so far this season.
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