Top NHL Prop Bets for Thursday, April 28 (2022)
We have a stacked nine-game slate of hockey tonight with an abundance of options to pick through for prop bets. Below, I give out my three best NHL props for Thursday.
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Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Nikita Kucherov Anytime Scorer (+125)
The Atlantic Division’s third-place Tampa Bay Lightning travel to Columbus to take on the Metropolitan Division’s sixth-place Blue Jackets as almost three-dollar favorites on the moneyline. Those who have been following these articles know that this has been my favorite prop for the past few weeks, and it has been a cash machine.
If oddsmakers keep giving us plus money on Kucherov, we will keep playing it every single day. Kucherov has been on fire in April as he has scored 13 goals over his last 13 games.
He will have a great opportunity to keep it going against the Blue Jackets as they now rank 31st in the league this season in five-on-five expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA). As the primary triggerman on the first power-play unit, Kucherov should get some good looks against a team that ranks just 20th in the league in penalty kill percentage.
Erik Haula Anytime Scorer (+250)
We have an Atlantic Division tilt as the fourth-place Boston Bruins host the fifth-place Buffalo Sabres as over three-dollar favorites on the moneyline. Haula has been on fire as he has scored four goals over his last six games, and these odds are just too long for a guy who should get good looks against a defensively absent Buffalo Sabres team.
This season, Buffalo ranks just 19th in the league in five-on-five expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA). Dustin Tokarski is the confirmed starting goaltender for Buffalo and has struggled this season as he possesses a .901 save percentage.
Tokarski has struggled even more recently as he has allowed three or more goals in six straight appearances between the pipes, posting a mere .886 save percentage over that span. At these odds, we are getting great value on someone who could take definitely take advantage of Buffalo’s poor defense and goaltending.
Matt Duchene Anytime Scorer (+180)
We have a Central Division battle as the fifth-place Nashville Predators travel to Colorado to take on the first-place Avalanche. This is a huge game for Nashville as they look to hold onto the first wild card spot and avoid the Central Division in the playoffs, so we should expect some big minutes from their stars.
Duchene enters this contest in great form as he has scored four goals over his last six games, bringing his season goal total up to an incredible 42. Colorado has nothing to play for in this game and could rest their key players, which would obviously benefit Nashville and give Duchene an even better chance to generate high-danger scoring chances.
This season, Duchene has registered three goals over his two games against Colorado. I like Duchene to find success once again in this matchup, especially considering the mindset of each team entering this game.
Best of luck!
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