NHL Friday best bets: Bruins to put away Panthers
We had our fourth consecutive winning night Thursday, backing the Golden Knights to take care of business in regulation while splitting our player props.
Let's dive into three more plays for Friday's card as we look to finish the week off on a high.
Bruins (-175) @ Panthers (+150)
The Panthers were holding their own at five-on-five earlier in the series, if not controlling the run of play entirely. That's completely changed over the past couple of games.
The Bruins have really hit their stride and looked the part of the dominant team we watched all season long. They posted a 62.83 expected goal share over Games 4 and 5, finishing above 60% in each contest.
Although they were outshot in Game 4, the Bruins were deserving of the one-sided scoreline in their favor. They were even better in Game 5, generating chance after chance but unable to get anything past Sergei Bobrovsky.
Anything can happen in one game, but I have a hard time believing Bobrovsky will follow up his stellar showing with another one. He hasn't given the Panthers competent goaltending - let alone great goaltending - with any sort of consistency since the day he signed.
The Bruins are loaded with talent and experience. They won't be the least bit phased, or thrown off, by coming up short in one close-out game.
I expect they'll come forth with another strong, disciplined performance and put this series to bed.
Look for Boston to lead late and perhaps tuck in an empty-netter to ensure a clean win within 60 minutes.
Bet: Bruins in regulation (-105)
David Pastrnak over 4.5 shots (-115)
Pastrnak hasn't enjoyed a lot of shooting success in this series. He's gone under the number in four or five contests and scored only once since the opening game.
There's reason to believe the tide is turning, though. For one, Pastrnak's shot volume is significantly rising. He attempted only eight shots over the first couple of games but has combined for 30 since, hitting double digits in two contests. And he wants more.
Speaking to the media following Game 5, Pastrnak hinted he wasn't aggressive enough and will play with more of a shooting mentality in Game 6.
Look for the Bruins' star sniper to put the puck on net every chance he gets. He should have plenty of opportunities with the way Boston has started to dominate the series.
Kirill Kaprizov over 3.5 shots (-135)
The Wild have their backs up against the wall. After suffering back-to-back losses, they now find themselves on the brink of elimination.
With no margin for error, the Wild will no doubt be leaning heavily on their star players. Kaprizov should get all the ice time he can handle in more advantageous matchups than he'd get on the road.
That's been a key for Kaprizov all season long. He's averaged 4.3 shots on goal per game and has hit at a 61% clip when playing in Minnesota. He hasn't enjoyed nearly the same level of success on the road, where he has a hit rate of just 32%.
Kaprizov registered 11 attempts and four shots on goal in the last home game the Wild played. I'd expect something similar this time around.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.