Bunting to continue shooting streak vs. Sharks
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One win, one loss, one void. That's how the Wednesday prop card played out as Mark Scheifele was an unforeseen late scratch and took my favorite play off the board.
We'll set our sights higher with three props for a monster Thursday night in the NHL.
Michael Bunting: Over 2.5 shots
Bunting is red-hot shooting the puck. He's gone over his total in eight of the past 10 games and all three since becoming a member of the Penguins.
Head coach Mike Sullivan has thrown him right into the fire, playing him at least 18 minutes every night while using him on the top line and first power-play unit.
Bunting has been a gold mine whenever he's seen that kind of usage. He's hit the over in nine of the 11 games he's logged at least 18 minutes of ice time this season, including successful nights against the Stars, Oilers, Bruins, Avalanche, and many of the league's top teams.
Bunting should be an active shooter once again Thursday in the most desirable matchup imaginable. The Sharks continue to bleed shots and chances each and every night. They're also especially bad when playing on the road, which is the case in this game.
Look for Bunting to pile up the shots.
Odds: -125 (playable to -150)
Alex Nylander: Over 2.5 shots
The younger Nylander brother has been somewhat of a revelation in Columbus. He's getting legitimate minutes to showcase himself with the Blue Jackets and taking full advantage.
Nylander has generated at least three shots in six of the past eight games, often landing on four or five.
His usage has steadily risen as well. He's seen steady minutes at even strength as well as reps on the top power play with Jack Roslovic departing on deadline day.
Nylander has put together his two best shooting performances since Roslovic's departure, generating five shots on 10 attempts in both games while logging more than 18 minutes in each.
Nylander has proven to be very trigger-happy. He loves to shoot the puck, and, with such a large role, he's getting a ton of opportunities to do just that.
The Blue Jackets play extremely high-event games, and the Senators tend to play in plenty as well. This should be a good environment for Nylander to make some noise.
Odds: +120 (playable to -110)
John Tavares: Over 2.5 shots
Sheldon Keefe put a bit of a leash on Tavares in recent weeks, often playing him 15 minutes a night on the third line. Those days appear to be over, at least for now.
Keefe has moved Tavares back up to his familiar spot as the team's second-line center. That should lead to an uptick in usage and, thus, shots.
Tavares averages 3.8 shots per game when logging 16-plus minutes. His success rate is astronomically high, with the Maple Leafs captain going over in 38 of the 52 games he's seen such usage (73%). If you up the floor to 18 minutes, Tavares has gone over in 25 of 30 games (83%).
With Mitch Marner expected to be out once again, and Tavares back in the No. 2 hole, I don't think it's a stretch to say that kind of usage could be in the cards. Toronto will need his offense.
Even against a strong shot-suppression team in the Flyers, there's real value in backing Tavares at this price.
Odds: -134 (playable to -155)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.