There’s just one game on tonight's NHL Playoffs docket and it should be a good one, as the Boston Bruins take on the Florida Panthers to kick off their Round 2 series.
Boston gets a chance to avenge a crushing upset loss to these same Panthers a year ago, when, as the NHL's top seed, it blew a 3-1 series lead, including an OT loss in Game 7.
There are plenty of intriguing NHL player props worth considering Monday night, and we’ve whittled them down to our three favorites.
Let’s start my free NHL picks with a guy who was busy playing hero Saturday night.
Bruins vs Panthers prop picks for May 6
- David Pastrnak anytime goal (+120 at BET99)
- Aleksander Barkov anytime goal (+195 at BET99)
- Brad Marchand Over 0.5 PPP (+205 at BET99)
Picks made on 5-6 at 12:00 a.m. ET.
Read full analysis of each pick.
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Bruins vs Panthers NHL prop picks and best bets
Prop bet #1: Pastamania
Boston Bruins head coach Jim Mongtomery called out his star player in a win-or-go-home Game 7 and David Pastrnak delivered.
Pastrnak, who led the B’s with 47 goals and 110 points in the regular season, clutched up with the OT winner to bounce the Toronto Maple Leafs and set up this rematch with the Florida Panthers.
Pastrnak tied for the team lead with five goals in last year’s opening round, including a pair in Game 6 and another in Game 7. He also led the team with shots, pumping 34 pucks at Florida goaltending over the series.
He was prominent in Boston’s four-game regular-season sweep of the Panthers, potting four points in those wins. A zoom-out of his work against Florida shows he’s been able to get much of whatever he’s wanted on the ice. He has points in 12 of his last 16 against Florida, including a streak with goals in five of eight.
Even after coming off that emotional high of surviving Round 1, expect Pastnak to bring plenty of juice in a rematch Boston had likely been hoping for since the end of last season.
David Pastrnak prop: Anytime goal (+120 at BET99)
Prop bet #2: Bark and bite
After a quiet first four games in Round 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Aleksander Barkov finally came alive in the Game 5 clincher, putting up a pair of goals and an assist in Florida’s 6-1 win.
I’m banking on him carrying that momentum into Round 2. Barkov was prominent in last year’s upset win over the Bruins, picking up a goal and three assists throughout the final three must-win games to help Florida advance.
He carried his effort from the playoffs into this season. Boston may have swept the series, but Barkov was a force over the four games, scoring three times and piling up seven points.
He has goals in four of his last five regular season games against the Bruins and points in 12 of 17.
Aleksander Barkov prop: Anytime goal (+195 at BET99)
Prop bet #3: Playoff Brad
Brad Marchand was a non-factor to end the season for the Bruins, with two goals and nine points in his final 16 games.
But once the playoffs hit, the 35-year-old returned to his true self.
Marchand nearly matched his scoring total from the end of the year in seven games against the Maple Leafs, leading the Bruins with three goals and five assists, doing much of his damage on the man advantage (two goals and four helpers).
His work on the power play helped the Bruins enter Round 2 with the fourth-best PP in the playoffs, connecting at a 35.3% clip, a big jump from their 14th-place ranking in the regular season.
Florida happened to be the most penalized team in the NHL this year. Opportunity will knock and Marchand will answer.
Brad Marchand prop: Over 0.5 power-play points (+205 at BET99)
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