We have a standalone NHL playoff game tonight, as the Maple Leafs/Bruins series heads back to Toronto for Game 6. Boston holds a 3-2 series lead heading into tonight's action. Below are three PrizePicks props that I've locked in for this contest and if you opt for the Power Play, this trio of props provides a 6/1 payout.
Game 6 is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET tonight at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario.
Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with our daily projections >>
Thursday's Best NHL PrizePicks Player Projections
(Lines courtesy of PrizePicks)
We have a standalone NHL playoff game tonight, as the Maple Leafs/Bruins series heads back to Toronto for Game 6. Boston holds a 3-2 series lead heading into tonight's action. Below are three PrizePicks props that I've locked in for this contest and if you opt for the Power Play, this trio of props provides a 6/1 payout.
Game 6 is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET tonight at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario.
Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with our daily projections >>
Thursday's Best NHL PrizePicks Player Projections
(Lines courtesy of PrizePicks)
David Pastrnak More Than 0.5 Goals (Demon)
Getting a Demon payout on David Pastrnak to score feels like a great value play. Sure, the defense will likely tighten up since this is an elimination game, but let's not forget that the Czech skater logged 47 goals this season. That was the most on the Bruins, and the seventh-most in the NHL. As for this series, the 27-year-old has lit the lamp twice, with those goals coming in Game 2 and Game 4.
The biggest advantage that Boston has is their top line versus Toronto's defense and goaltending. The fact that Coach Sheldon Keefe made the switch to Joseph Woll in net proves how unstable the netminding situation is in Toronto. This is a Leafs team that finished the regular season ranked 20th in overall defense with 3.02 GAA, and they're currently 15th (57.14%) on the penalty kill this postseason. Let's take Boston's best scorer to find the back of the net.
Tyler Bertuzzi More Than 2.5 Shots on Goal
Obviously there's a big question surrounding Auston Matthews' illness and availability for Game 6. He skated during practice on Wednesday, but Coach Keefe said there's no official update in regards to whether or not he'll suit up tonight. The league-leading scorer (69 regular-season goals) centers Tyler Bertuzzi's line, so it's always something we want to factor in when playing one of his props.
However, Matthews' ability (or inability) to play hasn't affected Bertuzzi's SOG production, as the winger has eclipsed 2.5 SOG in the last four games with five, four, three, and three. I'm going to play Bertuzzi's over again tonight. The 29-year-old has been getting a ton of ice time this series, averaging 18:37 per game, while also logging more than 20:00 minutes in two contests.
Interestingly, Boston has conceded the fourth-most SOG (119) during 5-on-5 play this season. They're also just seventh in blocked shots (78) during 5-on-5 action, so it's safe to say Toronto's skaters are getting pucks through to the net. Look for Bertuzzi to record at least three SOG tonight in front of his home crowd.
Pat Maroon Less Than 3.0 Hits
This has been a physical series between two rivals, and Toronto has actually racked up more hits (250) than Boston (222). Toronto's 250 hits and Boston's 222 are second and sixth in the postseason rankings, respectively. However, the hitting has been trending downward as we move deeper into the series; there were a combined 103 hits in Game 1, followed by 97, 137, 72, and 82 in each of the following games.
Mostly, I think that's because we're seeing the top-line skaters log more ice time, combined with coaches likely wanting to avoid dumb penalties. On that note, that's why I'm going to play the under on Pat Maroon's hit total tonight. The fourth-liner hasn't exceeded three hits in his last three games (3, 0, 3), whereas he did in the earlier matchups (6, 4). His ice time has also diminished as the series has gone one, logging 11:28, 12:06, 9:41, 6:05, and 11:11 per game, which has simply taken away chances for the Big Rig to lay hits on opponents.
Finally, Maroon has taken penalties in consecutive games (roughing, interference), so perhaps Coach Jim Montgomery will be hesitant to throw him out there in key situations. Ultimately, with the series on the line, I don't think Maroon will be throwing his big frame around as freely. Let's take a shot with the under at this number of 3.0, and we always have the push to fall back on if Maroon takes a more physical approach.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Thursday:
