The leading teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are looking to combat elimination at home as they continue their playoff journey on Thursday. The Washington Capitals, who are seeded first in the East, will face the Carolina Hurricanes at Capital One Arena in Game 5, while the Winnipeg Jets, also first in their bracket, take on the Dallas Stars in the fifth game at Canada Life Centre. Currently, both Washington and Winnipeg are trailing in their series, down 3-1.

After a mixed start at home, where they split the first two games, the Capitals were significantly outperformed 9-2 in their two matches held at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. The Hurricanes managed to secure a 5-2 victory in their last matchup, bolstered by impressive performances from Taylor Hall and Sean Walker, each contributing a goal and an assist during a strong third period.

Similarly, the Jets mirrored their Eastern counterpart’s struggle against the Stars, with both teams exchanging wins at home before succumbing to the Dallas team at American Airlines Center. Mikko Rantanen, who has achieved two hat tricks during this year’s playoffs, also saw teammate Mikael Granlund getting on the scoresheet with a goal in each period during a solid 3-1 victory in Game 4.

Dallas is eager to advance to the Western Conference Final for a third consecutive year, while the Hurricanes are hoping for a return to the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years. The Edmonton Oilers, who triumphed over the Stars last postseason, await the victor from the Winnipeg-Dallas showdown. Additionally, Carolina may find themselves in a rematch against last year’s champions, the Florida Panthers, who currently lead the Toronto Maple Leafs in their series.

Here are top player options to consider for Thursday’s NHL betting:

Shayne Gostisbehere: Hurricanes - 1+ point at +110 with DraftKings. Gostisbehere has consistently contributed offensively this postseason, amassing seven points over nine games and showing a strong recent form.

Miro Heiskanen: Stars - 1+ assist at +162 via FanDuel. Heiskanen, making his playoff return after an injury, has quickly rekindled his form, marking a playoff role with important assists.

Josh Morrissey: Jets - 1+ assist at +133 with Caesars. Morrissey has established a new postseason record for assists, continuing his impressive performance over the playoffs.

Mikko Rantanen, on the Stars, aims for at least +2 points at +215 with FanDuel after a stellar run where he consistently scored in multiple games.

Explore further with SportsLine’s predictions to prepare for all games in the Stanley Cup playoffs.