We aren't quite back to our full 4-game slate for the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, but we at least have 3 games on the ice after last night's 2 matchups. Two of the three are also elimination games. First, the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to get their revenge on the Tampa Bay Lightning after they knocked them out in the first round last year. The nightcap sees the Vegas Golden Knights looking to knock out the Winnipeg Jets. We're focused on that matchup and the Rangers vs Devils Game 5 for our top 2 NHL player props.
Along with our NHL player props, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for today's action.
Mika Zibanejad over 0.5 assists (+115)
The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils have had the strangest series thus far. It was set to be the closest series of the entire first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it's now tied at 2-2. However, how we got here is the strange part. The Rangers got off to a 2-0 lead while on the road, and then lost each of the next 2 games in Madison Square Garden. Now they head back across the Hudson River to the Prudential Center in New Jersey. If the first 2 games showed us anything, it's that the Rangers should be able to bounce back.'
We targeted Adam Fox earlier in the series, but we're focused on the consistency of Zibanejad on Thursday. Admittedly, he’s an excellent shooter, but New York has other elite goal-scorers as well like Patrick Kane and Chris Kreider. Therefore, we're comfortable backing Zibanejad to link up with one of them and record an assist. He's done so in 2 of the 4 games in this series. Similarly, he recorded an assist in each of the last 3 regular season games against the Devils. With the Rangers seemingly more comfortable on the road in this series, we anticipate a big night from Zibanejad.'