Our NHL player props have treated us well throughout the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, so let's keep the good times rolling. We get to enjoy some afternoon hockey to round out the weekend. The first 2 Eastern Conference matchups feature some elite defenses and perhaps sluggish starts, so we're focused on the 2 later games. Both the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers are looking to even up their series at 2-2 before getting to head bac k home. With that in mind, we're focused on 2 of their skaters to help them do just that.
Along with our player props, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for today's action.
Evander Kane over 0.5 goals (+220)
Anytime an Oilers game is the focus, the immediate thought is Connor McDavid, and rightfully so. He found his groove in Game 3 and scored back-to-back goals, despite Edmonton losing the game. Teammate Leon Draisaitl also scored 3 goals across the first 2 games of the series. Now it's time for Evander Kane to do his part. He had a goal in the Oilers Game 2 win, and his shots have increased with each game in this series. While he's already been solid thus far, we're expecting him to only heat up from here.'
When these teams met in the first round of the playoffs last season, Kane carried the Oilers. Firstly, he had 5 goals across the first 3 games of the series, including a hat trick. Then, when Edmonton was down 3-2 and on the brink of elimination, Kane stepped up and had 2 goals in Game 6. The Oilers went on to win that game and ultimately Game 7 to win the series. Kane ended the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 13 goals, which was tied with Nathan MacKinnon for the most. Keep in mind MacKinnon had an entire extra series after making the Stanley Cup Final. With that type of goal-scoring prowess when it matters most, we anticipate Kane to step up on Sunday night.