The NHL postseason reaches its final stage on Saturday with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights. FanDuel Sportsbook's latest'NHL odds'list the Golden Knights as the'-130 moneyline favorite'at home with the projected total set at 5.5 goals.
Here are three of the'best NHL player prop bets'for the Panthers-Golden Knights game, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Panthers vs Golden Knights Player Props
|
Player/Team |
Bet |
Odds |
|---|---|---|
|
Matthew Tkachuk |
Any time goal scorer |
+155 |
|
Jack Eichel |
Record over 0.5 assists |
+102 |
|
Sam Bennett |
Record over 3.5 shots |
+114 |
Here's a breakdown of why I like each bet.
1. Matthew Tkachuk – Any Time Goal Scorer (+155)
Matthew Tkachuk has done a tremendous job leadi ng the Panthers throughout the playoffs. The veteran forward not only paces his teammates with 21 points in 16 games but he's also found the back of the net nine times. In other words, he's a good bet to score again in Game 1. For starters, Tkachuk has scored three times in his last four outings – which includes scoring in each of his last two road games. Further improving his chances of hitting pay dirt is the fact that Tkachuk has nine goals in 14 all-time clashes with the Golden Knights.
2. Jack Eichel – Assists: Over 0.5 (+102)
Although Jack Eichel enters the Stanley Cup Final on a seven-game goal drought, his playmaking ability hasn't diminished during that span. After all, Eichel has tallied at least one assist in five of those games. The former Boston University product has racked up 12 assists in his last 15 outings, finishing with the Over on this prop 10 times. After recording five assists in his last five matchups against the Panthers, it's hard to doubt Eichel's playmaking ability here.
3. Sam Bennett – Shots: Over 3.5 (+114)
When the Panthers need to generate offensive chances, Sam Bennett has answered the call. The former 2014 first-rounder ranks second on his team with 55 shots on goal in the playoffs, averaging 3.7 shots per outing. In fact average has jumped up to 4.3 in his last seven outings, hitting the over four times while finishing with no fewer than three shots during that span. Considering how Bennett sees the third-most offensive zone starts on the Panthers (56.5%), he should continue seeing opportunities to fire the puck on net. Head coach Paul Maurice is unlikely to change his game plan, so expect more of the same from the veteran center.