Mark Lammey
Show Bio
With each of Thursday’s games going into Game 6, every matchup has a team on the brink of elimination. The 2-time defending Stanley Cup champs are 1 game away from a first-round exit, and 2 of the league’s biggest superstars are in the same boat in Edmonton. It’s a quick turn around with another switch of home teams, and it will be up to some experienced players to come through. Along with our player props, be sure to check out our full game previews for tonight’s matchups.
Brad Marchand over 1.5 points (+175)
The Bruins are on the brink of elimination by the Hurricanes, but have the benefit of going back to Boston for Game 6. That should be a huge boost for them as that is where they won both of their games in this series — and in convincing fashion. They did so largely because of Brad Marchand’s success. He’s had a great season as a whole, with 80 points in 70 games. However, the Hurricanes’ defense stormed down on the Bruins while they were in Carolina. Marchand and the perfection line came to life once the series got to Boston.
Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak are known as the perfection line due to all of the Bruins’ superstars being on the same line. That provides Marchand even more opportunities to both score and dish out assists. Games 3 and 4 were in Boston and that is where they stepped up. Marchand specifically had multiple points in both of those home games. In Game 3, he recorded 3 points with a goal and 2 assists, and in Game 4, he recorded an incredible 5 points with 2 goals and 3 assists. It’s not just the postseason either; Marchand recorded multiple points in 25 games during the regular season. Marchand clearly steps up his performance at home and should do so in Game 6 as he looks to stop the Bruins from being eliminated in the first round.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for the Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins
Steven Stamkos over 0.5 assists (+100)
After the Maple Leafs’ comeback victory in Toronto in Game 5, the Lightning are now on the brink of elimination. However, they get to head back to Tampa where they dominated the Leafs in a 7-3 victory in Game 4. They got off to a quick 5-0 lead, with the first goal of that run being recorded by Stamkos. However, that was his only goal out of the 7 that Tampa scored and it’s time to target his assist prop. He is certainly a proficient goalscorer, but skating alongside Nikita Kucherov also lends to plenty of assist opportunities.
Stamkos ended the season with an impressive 106 points, tied for the 5th-most in the league. In fact, he ended up tied with an opposing skater in this series, Auston Matthews. It’s time for the seasoned veteran to prove why experience is important in making a run to a 3rd-straight Stanley Cup.
Of Stamkos’ 106 points, 64 of them were assists. When it comes to shooting the puck, Kucherov is the primary skater to do so and ended the season with a much higher shots-per-game average. That allows Stamkos the opportunity to rack up the assists while Kucherov finds the back of the net. The Lightning faced the Leafs in Tampa twice near the end of the season; Stamkos recorded 2 assists in each of those meetings. We only need 1 from him tonight, and there’s no doubt he should deliver if the Lightning want to stay alive.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning
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