The top-seeded Washington Capitals and reigning champion Florida Panthers are both looking to seal their places in the next round of the Eastern Conference, while the Presidents’ Trophy winners, Winnipeg Jets, seek to gain the advantage in their Western Conference tie against the St. Louis Blues as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue on Wednesday.
Washington has a chance to achieve its first playoff series victory since it bested the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2018 finals, taking on the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5. The Canadiens were close to leveling the series, but Brandon Duhaime scored twice in a dramatic third period for Washington, leading them to a 5-2 win and a 3-1 series lead.
The Panthers are visiting Tampa Bay hoping to eliminate the Lightning in five games again, as they did last season. Florida staged an impressive third-period comeback in Game 4, scoring three goals in just over two minutes to secure a 4-2 victory.
However, they will still be without defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who was serving a two-game suspension for an elbow to Brandon Hagel earlier in the series.
The series between the Jets and Blues has seen the home team winning consistently, with Winnipeg taking both games at home and St. Louis emerging victorious in both their encounters. Following the first goal in their last match, St. Louis surged ahead, managing to chase goalie Connor Hellebuyck for the second consecutive game.
Entering Wednesday’s match, with five winning bets in the postseason, here are some players to keep an eye on for prop bets:
Best Bets
Alex Ovechkin, Capitals - Anytime goal scorer (+110, bet365)
Washington notched five goals in their Game 4 win, yet somehow Ovechkin did not score. The all-time leading goal scorer has found the net in previous series matches. After making strong performances lately, he is expected to deliver in Wednesday’s game.
Sam Reinhart, Panthers - Anytime goal scorer (+200, DraftKings)
Reinhart had a remarkable postseason last year, finding the net multiple times across series. After scoring in the first game of this year’s matchup, he seeks to create an impact again as the Panthers strive to advance.
Aleksander Barkov, Panthers - 1+ assist (+106, FanDuel)
Barkov has an outstanding track record for setting up goals, with multiple assists in his last eleven games. Expect him to keep this trend as Florida aims for another playoff victory.
Cam Fowler, Blues - 1+ assist (+146, FanDuel)
Fowler has shown exceptional performance in the playoffs, racking up points and assists in recent matches. His momentum suggests he will contribute again in Wednesday’s game.
Check out the SportsLine Projection Model’s predictions for more insights on the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
