Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.

Montreal Canadiens (+140) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-170)

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Total 5.5 (Over, -120)Series tied at 2

7 p.m. ET

The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning have turned a best-of-seven series into a best-of-three series, with this series being deadlocked at two games apiece. All four games have been decided by one goal, with three of the four games going to overtime. Each of the last three games ended with a final score of 3-2. The value from a side perspective is with the Canadiens at (+140), but with these games being coin-flips, I will pass on both the side and the total. 

What I can get behind are some player props. Tampa’s Brandon Hagel leads the series with goals (six) and has scored a goal in all four games of the series. Jake Guentzel leads the series in assists (six) and has had a “helper” in all four games. Tampa’s Darren Raddysh and Nikita Kucherov have registered three shots on goal or more in three of the four games in this first round series. 

Tampa has done an outstanding job of shutting down the Canadiens top line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky. Caufield scored his first goal of the playoffs in game four, but has just six shots on goal through four games. Suzuki has yet to find the back of the net in this series and has just seven shots on goal, but does have four assists. Montreal’s Josh Anderson has two goals through four games, with both those goals coming in Tampa.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets: Regulation Draw (+320) – .05Josh Anderson anytime goal (+675) – .05Raddysh/Kucherov each 3+ SOG (-125) – 1 unitBrandon Hagel anytime goal (+145) – ½ unitJake Guentzel Over ½ assist (+102) – ½ unitHutson/Suzuki assist parlay (+132) – ¼ unit

Pittsburgh Penguins (-102) at Philadelphia Flyers (-118)

Total 5.5 (Over, -120)Penguins lead series 3-2

7:30 p.m. ET

It’s the old sports adage when it comes to the playoffs. The fourth (and final) win is the hardest, and Sidney Crosby and the Penguins are not ready to cry uncle in this series with the Philadelphia Flyers. Crosby, who was held without a point through the first two games of this series, has five points (one goal, four assists) in the past three games and has taken over the team playoff points lead. No player has more points versus the Flyers in the playoffs than Crosby (16 goals, 41 points in 28 games). Game five was the first game of the series in which he was held without a shot on goal. He leads the Pens with 14 shots on goal (0,4,3,4,3) in the series. 

The Flyers’ Alex Bump made his series debut and scored a goal while registering four shots on goal. Bump had five goals and nine points in 17 regular season games. Rookie Porter Martone is still tied for the Flyers’ playoff goalscoring lead with two goals. After picking up a point in each of the first three games, Martone has been held without a point in back-to-back games. Rasmus Ristolainen, who is playing in his first postseason after 820 regular-season games, leads the team with five points. 

A couple of trends to share in this series. The first period Under 1.5 goals has cashed in all five games, as has the second period Over 1.5 goals.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets: 1st period Under 1.5 goals (-110) – ½ unit 2nd period Over 1.5 goals (-156) – ½ unitSidney Crosby Over 2.5 shots on goal (-130) – 1 unitSidney Crosby anytime goal (+190) – ¼ unitSidney Crosby to score first Penguins goal (+550) – .05Rasmus Ristolainen Over ½ point (+132) – .10Alex Bump anytime goal (+450) – .05

Utah Mammoth (+140) at Vegas Golden Knights (-165)

Total 6 (Under, -115)Series tied at 2

10 p.m. ET

The Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights are all even at two games apiece after the Knights recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead and won 5-4 in overtime. Not only is the series tied at two, but each time has scored 13 goals in the series, and both the Mammoth and VGK have four players who have each scored two goals. One of those players for Utah is MacKenzie Weegar. Both of his goals in the series have opened the scoring for the Mammoth. Lawson Crouse has also found the back of the net twice and has points in three of the first four games. Dylan Guenther leads the Mammoth with 20 shots on goal in the series (no other player has more than 10), and two of those have found the back of the net. The Knights’ Pavel Dorofeyev took advantage of his bump to the top line in game four and scored his first goal of the series. Ivan Barbashev has points in all four games.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Pavel Dorofeyev anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
Mark Stone anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
Mark Stone 1st Vegas goal (+650) – .05
Lawson Crouse Over ½ assist (+260) – ¼ unit
Lawson Crouse anytime goal (+320) – ¼ unit
Barbashev/Dorofeyev point parlay (+156) – ¼ unit
Dylan Guenther Over 3.5 shots on goal (-105) – 1 unit
Guenther 3+ shots/Dorofeyev 3+ shots/BTTS 2+ goals (+198) – 1 unit
MacKenzie Weegar anytime goal (+750) – .10
MacKenzie Weegar 1stUtah goal (+1900) – .05

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