And then there were four.
The star-studded Conference Finals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are set for liftoff tonight beginning with Game 1 of the West Final between the Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers.
On route to this showdown, the Avalanche disposed of Nashville in four and St. Louis in six. Meantime, the Oilers went the distance with Los Angeles in Round 1 before dousing the rival Flames in five.
From a prop betting standpoint, it doesn’t get much sexier than this matchup. With that in mind, here are some things to look at:
PROP 1: Connor McDavid Over 3.5 SOG (-160)
Simply put, McDavid has been on a tear of epic proportions —to the tune of 26 points in 12 games. Like several marquee names in this series, he’s been shooting the puck a ton. The Oilers captain has carried the 3.5 number in seven of his past eight outings. I would keep going to this well until the data suggests otherwise.
PROP 2: Leon Draisaitl Over 0.5 Assists (-140)
Draisaitl was an apple tree in Round 2 against Calgary tallying 15 helpers in five games. In addition to that, the German has picked up at least one assist in nine of his past 10 outings. He has 19 total helpers in the postseason and racked up another 55 in the regular season. Keep riding!
PROP 3: Nathan MacKinnon Over 4.5 SOG (-140)
Through 10 playoff games, MacKinnon has registered 55 shots on goal for an average of 5.5 per outing. Considering the 26-year-old has been striving for this moment his entire career, there’s no question he’ll be raring to go tonight. At this price, it’s a no-brainer to take a flier, even if you’re putting just a unit on it.
PROP 4: Nazem Kadri Over 0.5 Assists (+120)
It took 12 seasons, but Kadri will finally get his first taste of a Conference Final. To that point, the 31-year-old has been very steady in the postseason thus far tallying five goals and five assists in 10 contests. Additionally, the pending UFA notched 59 assists in 71 regular season games. Furthermore, Kadri’s pass first nature and exposure to Colorado’s potent power play are two prime reasons, among others, to consider playing this prop tonight.
Betting odds listed above via the Bet365 Sportsbook as of Tuesday afternoon.