Auston Matthews had five goals and buried the puck at least once in all four regular-season games versus the Florida Panthers in 2022-23. In fact, the two-time “Rocket” Richard winner didn’t score more than thrice against any other team. However, as Toronto Maple Leafs fans will remember, No. 34 went goalless in five playoff games facing Florida after potting five in the opening round against Tampa.
The superstar forward is off to a hot start this season with six goals through three games thanks to his back-to-back hat tricks to open the season, but will he be able to resume his regular-season success against the Panthers when the Maple Leafs visit at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. on Thursday night?
His best start to a regular season to date was back in 2018-19 when he tallied 10 goals on a six-game streak to start the year. He had seven goals in his first four games that season, so Matthews can equal that with a single goal against Florida on Thursday.
Here are Matthews’ prop lines vs. the Panthers via Bet365:
Anytime goal: -155
Two goals or more: +320
Hat trick or more: +1400
Points: Over 1.5 (+110) | Under 1.5 (-150)
Shots: Over 4.5 -130 | Under 4.5 (-110)
Assists: Over 0.5 (-125) | Under 0.5 (-115)
Power-play points: Over 0.5 (+150) | Under 0.5 (-200)
Matthews had at least four shots in all but one of the nine total games against Florida in 2022-23 and only had two assists in those nine games. He has recorded a minimum of five shots on goal in each outing so far this season.
Matthews certainly isn’t the only star player with prop odds worth monitoring Thursday night. With a dozen games on tap, including five of the seven Canadian teams in action and four games airing on various Sportsnet channels, hockey fans have a plethora of options and storylines on which to focus their attention.
With that in mind here are a few other notable Thursday matchups accompanied by intriguing prop possibilities:
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Jets’ Brossoit facing former Vegas teammates
Winnipeg Jets goalie Laurent Brossoit is set for his first start of the 2023-24 season and he’s doing so against his former team. The 30-year-old spent the past two seasons with Vegas and chipped in with five post-season wins en route to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup earlier this year. A groin injury ended his playoff run prematurely and he was replaced by Adin Hill, who is expected to get the nod between the pipes for the Golden Knights Thursday.
Here are Brossoit’s Thursday prop lines vs. his former club via DraftKings:
Total Saves: Over 25.5 (-125) | Under 25.5 (-105)
Goals Against: Over 2.5 -140 | Under 2.5 (+110)
Shutout: Yes (+1100) | No (-2500)
Vegas is averaging 33 shots on goal per game and is scoring an average of 3.5 goals per contest. The Jets are slight -105 underdogs at home on the moneyline. Winnipeg is hoping to bounce back from a 5-1 loss Tuesday to the Kings during which they lost Gabe Vilardi to a knee injury. For what it’s worth, Brossoit went 2-1 against the Golden Knights during his first stint with the Jets.
Can McDavid keep epic home point streak alive?
Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid has recorded at least one point in 22 consecutive home games dating back to last season. The most recent time the reigning Hart and Art Ross winner went pointless in a regular-season home game was New Year’s Eve against the Jets. McDavid has historically done well when playing the Flyers. He has 10 goals and 15 assists in 13 career games against them and has at least one point in eight consecutive games facing Philadelphia dating back to October of 2017.
Here are McDavid’s prop lines vs. the Flyers via Bet365:
Points: Over 1.5 (-160) | Under 1.5 (+120)
Shots: Over 3.5 -140 | Under 3.5 (+100)
Assists: Over 1.5 (+165) | Under 1.5 (-230)
Power-play points: Over 0.5 (-220) | Under 0.5 (+160)
Anytime goal: -110
Two goals or more: +500
Hat trick or more: +2500
The Oilers are coming off a 6-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, during which six Edmonton players had multi-point outings, including McDavid, who had a goal and an assist.
Which star forward can notch first goal of season?
It’s still early but the fact Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk and Mika Zibanejad have zero combined goals thus far is a tad surprising, no? Don’t be mistaken, all three forwards have been productive with four assists apiece, but each will be itchy to score their first of the 2023-24 season.
The Lightning’s Point finished fifth in the NHL with 51 goals one season ago; he has zero on seven total shots on goal in four games. Point’s anytime goal odds Thursday at home versus Vancouver are +105, the shortest of any player on either team.
Florida’s Tkachuk is coming off two consecutive 40-goal campaigns. His anytime goal odds are +140 ahead of his team’s matchup with the Maple Leafs. Tkachuk only scored once in nine games (regular- and post-season combined) against Toronto in 2022-23.
Zibanejad led the Rangers with 39 goals last season and three of those goals occurred during his two games facing Vancouver. His goal odds tonight are +135.
Kings winger Kevin Fiala and Mats Zuccarello of the Wild are the only other forwards with four or more assists and zero goals so far this season. Fiala’s goal odds Thursday are +165 while Zuccarello’s are +190 as their teams face each other in Minnesota.
Nashville’s Filip Forsberg has three assists in four games and his 18 shots on goal leads all forwards still looking for their first of the season. Forsberg’s anytime goal odds against the Rangers Thursday are +180.
(Betting odds above via Bet365, unless otherwise noted, as of Thursday and subject to change)