Getty Matthew Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
The Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche each look to force a Game 7 in their respective second-round series Friday, while the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars take another crack at clinching their second straight Conference Finals appearances.
Our AI-powered dfsPro model projects a number of individual performances worth keeping an eye on during Friday’s matchups. Let’s dive into some of our favorite NHL player props for May 17!
How did we do? See Heavy’s NHL Player Props for May 16: 5-for-6 (83% accuracy)
Hottest Player Props: Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins, Game 6
David Pastrnak: Under 3.5 Shots on Goal (+114, DraftKings)
Bruins winger David Pastrnak put four shots on goal in Boston’s 2-1 victory over Florida in Game 5 after putting just five total shots on goal over the previous three games in the series. Our model projects that he will regress back to below the betting line tonight in Game 6 with a 26% decline below his average shot volume.
Sergei Bobrovsky: Over 24.5 Saves (+100, DraftKings)
With the Bruins in desperation mode as they look to stave off elimination, they are expected to pepper Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky with an above-average number of shots on goal. Bobrovsky made 26 saves on 28 shots in Florida’s loss to the Bruins in Game 5, and our model likes him to continue that trend tonight.
Sam Reinhart: Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+124, DraftKings)
Florida winger Sam Reinhart put eight shots on goal in Florida’s loss to the Bruins in Game 5, his most in a single game this postseason. As a result, our model projects a 30% increase over his regular-season average of 2.84 shots per game, up to 3.7 tonight in Game 6.
Aleksander Barkov: Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+100, DraftKings)
Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has only exceeded 2.5 shots once during Florida’s second-round series against Boston, putting four shots on goal in Game 2 on May 8. However, our model projects Barkov to finish closer to his regular-season average of 2.64 shots per game with 2.78 tonight in Game 6.
Matthew Tkachuk: Over 0.5 Assists (+114, DraftKings)
Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk tallied three assists against the Bruins in Game 3, but Boston has managed to keep him off the scoresheet in Games 4 and 5 and in three of five total contests during the second round. It’s the first time this postseason that Tkachuk has been held scoreless in consecutive contests, and our model projects that he will rebound with at least one assist tonight in Game 6.
Hottest Player Props: Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche, Game 6
Cale Makar: Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+120, DraftKings)
Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is coming off a two-goal performance in Game 5 in which he put five shots on goal, tying his single-game high during the postseason. He averaged exactly three shots per game during the regular season, but our model projects a 23% increase up to 3.7 tonight in Game 6.
Mikko Rantanen: Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+130, DraftKings)
Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen has not exceeded three shots in a single contest since he put four shots on goal in Game 3 against the Stars on May 11. Our model projects a 16% increase in the likelihood that Rantanen will reach the four-shot mark once again, placing him above the betting line at 3.94 tonight in Game 6.
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NHL Player Props: AI-Powered Picks for May 17 Playoff Games