And then there were four.
The star-studded Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to take off tonight, starting with Game 1 of the Western Final between the Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers.
On the way to this showdown, the Avalanche eliminated Nashville in four and St. Louis and six. Meanwhile, the Oilers covered the distance with Los Angeles in round 1 before beating rival Flames by five.
From a close-up betting standpoint, it’s not much sexier than this showdown. With that in mind, here are some things to keep in mind:
PROP 1: Connor McDavid over 3.5 SOG (-160)
In a nutshell, McDavid has suffered a tear of epic proportions, with 26 points in 12 games. Like several tent names in this series, he has been shooting a lot on the record. The Oilers captain has worn the 3.5 number in seven of his last eight outings. I would keep doing it right until the data suggests otherwise.
PROP 2: Leon Draisaitl more than 0.5 assists (-140)
Draisaitl was an apple in Round 2 against Calgary with 15 assists in five games. On top of that, the German has secured at least one assist in nine of his last 10 outings. He has a total of 19 assistants in the postseason and has amassed 55 more in the regular season. Keep riding!
PROP 3: Nathan MacKinnon Over 4.5 SOG (-140)
Through 10 playoff games, MacKinnon has recorded 55 shots on goal with an average of 5.5 per outing. Given that the 26-year-old has been struggling for this moment throughout his career, there is no doubt that he will be looking forward to going tonight. At this price, it is obvious to take a steering wheel, even if you only put one unit in it.
PROP 4: Nazem Kadri more than 0.5 assists (+120)
It took 12 seasons, but Kadri will finally have his first taste of a Conference Finals. So far, the 31-year-old has been very stable in the postseason so far with five goals and five assists in 10 competitions. In addition, the pending UFA got 59 assists in 71 regular season games. Also, the first nature of Kadri’s passing and exposure to Colorado’s powerful power play are two main reasons, among other things, for considering playing this accessory tonight.
The odds of betting listed above are via Bet365 Sportsbook starting Tuesday afternoon.