The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars each look to move within one win of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final tonight in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.
The teams traded multi-goal comeback wins in the past two games of the series. Per NHL PR, the 2024 Western Conference Final can become the first Conference Finals/Semifinals series to feature three straight multi-goal comeback victories.
Our AI-powered dfsPro model projects a number of individual performances worth keeping an eye on during Wednesday’s matchup. Let’s dive into some of our favorite NHL player props for Game 4 of the Western Conference Final!
Hottest Player Props: Dallas Stars
Wyatt Johnston: Under 2.5 Shots on Goal (+114, DraftKings)
Stars forward Wyatt Johnston is averaging about three shots per game during the postseason, but he has recorded just two shots or fewer in three of his last four games. Our model projects a slight decline below his average shot volume for Game 5, placing him under the betting line at 2.35 in tonight’s contest.
Joe Pavelski: Over 0.5 Points (+120, DraftKings)
The Oilers have managed to hold Stars forward Joe Pavelski without a point through all four games of this series, but he finished Dallas’ second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche with three points over his final two games. Our model likes his odds to find the scoresheet for the first time this series in Game 5, projecting him to finish over the betting line at 0.75 in tonight’s contest.
Matt Duchene: Over 0.5 Points (+130, DraftKings)
Like Pavelski, Stars forward Matt Duchene has yet to record a point in this series against the Oilers. His current four-game scoring drought marks his longest pointless streak of the postseason, and our model likes him to snap that streak in Game 5. Although it’s a 12% decline below his regular-season points-per-game average, Duchene is projected to finish over the betting line at 0.71 in tonight’s contest.
Hottest Player Props: Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid: Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+110, DraftKings)
Oilers captain Connor McDavid is averaging four shots per game during the playoffs, and he has exceeded that average in each of the lasts two contests against the Stars. As a result, our model projects an increase over his average shot volume in tonight’s contest, placing him over the betting line at 3.74 in Game 5.
Evan Bouchard: Under 1.5 Blocked Shots (+114, DraftKings)
Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard has blocked a pair of shots in each of the last two games against the Stars after failing to record a single block in Game 2 of the series. Our model projects a 29% decline in his shot-blocking potential tonight in Game 5, placing him under the betting line at 0.92.
Evander Kane: Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+100, DraftKings)
The Stars have held Oilers forward Evander Kane to just three total shots on goal over the previous two games, but he totaled nine shots over the first two games of the series. Kane averaged 2.86 shots per game during the regular season, and our model likes him to hover close to that average – and over the betting line – at 2.75 tonight in Game 5.
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NHL Player Props: Western Conference Final Game 5