With three teams already through to the second round, four more first-round matchups could conclude on Thursday. The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs continue with three Game 6 contests in the Western Conference and one in the Eastern Conference.
In the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Maple Leafs aim to close out their series against the Ottawa Senators on the road and advance to face the reigning champion Florida Panthers. Toronto was the only team to take a 3-0 lead in the first round but has since dropped two straight games to Ottawa, being outscored 8-3, while the Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Washington Capitals have already secured their spots in the next round.
Moving to the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights will try to clinch their series when they visit the Minnesota Wild. The 2023 champions trailed 2-1 in the series but have won two consecutive games in overtime, with Brett Howden scoring the Game 5 winner just over four minutes into the extra period on Tuesday.
The Colorado Avalanche are fighting to force a decisive Game 7 as they host the Dallas Stars. Colorado evened the series with a 4-0 shutout win at home in Game 4, but they were soundly defeated 6-2 on the road on Monday. Wyatt Johnston netted his first two goals of the postseason and added an assist in that game, putting Dallas just one victory away from advancing.
Finally, the defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers seek their fourth straight win as they welcome the Los Angeles Kings to Rogers Place. After giving up six goals in each of the first two games, both losses in Los Angeles, the Oilers replaced Stuart Skinner in net with Calvin Pickard. Since that change, Edmonton has won three consecutive games, allowing a total of eight goals across those three victories.
Following a successful night where three out of four recommended bets landed, here are some players offering good value to consider for prop bets in Thursday`s playoff games.
Best Bets
Kirill Kaprizov anytime goal scorer (+120, FanDuel)
The Minnesota Wild have scored 17 goals through the first five games of this series against Vegas, and Kaprizov has been responsible for nearly a third of them. The 28-year-old Russian left winger is tied for the playoff lead with five goals, matching teammate Matt Boldy, Carolina`s Andrei Svechnikov, and Colorado`s Nathan MacKinnon. Kaprizov had a pair of two-goal games earlier in this series and also scored in Game 5 on Tuesday.
Anze Kopitar 1+ assist (+122, FanDuel)
Age hasn`t slowed down the Kings` captain. The 37-year-old Slovenian center is tied for third in the league with seven assists in these playoffs, already surpassing the total he recorded over 11 games in the previous two postseasons combined. This marks the second-highest assist total of his career in a single postseason, trailing only the 21 assists he notched during Los Angeles` 2014 Stanley Cup run. Kopitar has recorded an assist in four out of the first five games against the Oilers.
Connor McDavid anytime goal scorer (+150, BetMGM)
McDavid has been more of a playmaker against the Kings, tied for the playoff lead with eight assists. However, the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner is fully capable of finding the back of the net himself. McDavid scored in two of the first three games in this series. He ranks 22nd all-time among players with at least 20 career playoff goals in goals per game (0.49 over 79 contests), with only three active players ahead of him. Even though he hasn`t scored in his last two games, betting on the three-time Hart Trophy winner to score is always a smart move at these odds.
Best Longshot
Matthew Knies anytime goal scorer (+320, bet365)
After scoring 15 goals as a rookie in 2023-24, Knies nearly doubled that total this season, finishing with 29 goals, including two hat tricks, ranking him fourth on the Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old left winger has continued his production in the series against the Senators, tied with John Tavares for the team lead with three goals. With Toronto looking to bounce back from a shutout loss and avoid a Game 7, Knies represents a valuable longshot pick to get on the scoreboard for his team.
