The first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues on Thursday with a packed four-game schedule. Two teams that secured commanding 2-0 series leads by winning their home games, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets, now hit the road. The Maple Leafs are set to face the Ottawa Senators in Game 3, aiming to extend their advantage in the `Battle of Ontario`, while the Jets travel to St. Louis to take on the Blues in their Game 3.
Elsewhere, the Minnesota Wild host the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of their series, which is currently tied 1-1 after the first two contests. In the `Battle of Florida`, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers play Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa Bay, looking to build on their decisive victory in the series opener.
Toronto started their series against Ottawa with a dominant 6-2 win in Game 1 but had to rally from a two-goal deficit in Game 2 before Max Domi clinched a 3-2 overtime victory at the 3:09 mark. Key contributors for the Maple Leafs have included John Tavares and defenseman Morgan Rielly, who both scored in the first two games. Toronto will need to improve on their regular-season record in Canada`s capital, where they lost their only visit 2-1.
The Presidents` Trophy-winning Jets demonstrated resilience, overcoming a deficit for a 5-3 win against the Blues in their Western Conference series opener. They followed up with a tight 2-1 triumph in Game 2. Kyle Connor has been the hero for Winnipeg so far, scoring both game-winning goals after leading the team with eight winners in the regular season. Winnipeg will be confident heading to St. Louis, where they won both regular-season meetings in 2024-25.
Minnesota bounced back strongly after a 4-2 loss in Game 1, securing a decisive 5-2 victory in Game 2. Matt Boldy continued his offensive production, scoring the opening goal of Game 2 after netting two in the series opener. Kirill Kaprizov also contributed with two goals in the Game 2 win. Despite this recent success, the Wild face a challenge at home, having lost five consecutive meetings against the Golden Knights at their arena, including both this past regular season.
The Florida Panthers started their series against the Lightning in dominant fashion, despite registering only 17 shots in Game 1. Their power play was exceptional, converting on all three opportunities en route to a convincing 6-2 victory. Captain Matthew Tkachuk made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup (first time since February 8), scoring two power-play goals and adding an assist.
After a successful run of anytime goal scorer bets over the past few days, here are some players worth considering for prop bets on Thursday`s playoff slate:
Best Bets
Sam Reinhart, Panthers (+225, bet365)
While Sam Reinhart`s 39 goals in 2024-25 were 18 fewer than his career high the previous season, he still finished as Florida`s leading scorer. The 29-year-old winger scored twice in his final regular-season game against the New York Rangers and found the back of the net again in Game 1 against the Lightning. This goal was his third in four overall meetings with Tampa Bay this season. He also scored three times when Florida eliminated Tampa Bay in five games in the first round last postseason. Reinhart boasts an impressive record against the Lightning throughout his career, with 23 goals in 44 contests (including playoffs), and has accumulated 22 goals in 56 career postseason games.
Brayden Point, Lightning (+160, DraftKings)
Brayden Point was one of the few bright spots for Tampa Bay in their heavy Game 1 defeat. The 29-year-old forward, who finished sixth in the NHL with 42 goals in 2024-25, scored one of the Lightning`s two tallies in the opener. Point has a history of success against the Panthers, having scored three times in four regular-season matchups this season and netting seven goals in 12 career playoff games against Florida. Overall, he has recorded 43 goals in 88 career postseason contests.
William Nylander, Maple Leafs (+220, FanDuel)
William Nylander was Toronto`s leading scorer and ranked second in the league with a career-high 45 goals this season, marking his third consecutive campaign hitting the 40-goal mark. The 28-year-old son of former NHL forward Michael Nylander scored just once in his final six regular-season games but found his scoring touch in Game 1 against Ottawa. This goal was his 21st in 56 career postseason contests. His Game 1 goal came on the power play, where he tied for the team lead with 12 goals in 2024-25, making him a significant threat whenever the Senators are penalized.
Matt Boldy, Wild (+210, FanDuel)
Matt Boldy finished the 2024-25 season four goals shy of his career high but still led Minnesota with 27 goals. The 24-year-old has been a key offensive contributor for the Wild in this series, scoring both of the team`s goals in the opener and netting the first goal in their Game 2 victory. This means Boldy was responsible for four consecutive goals for Minnesota, dating back to his overtime winner against the Anaheim Ducks in the regular-season finale. With only three other Wild players having scored in the series thus far, Boldy is expected to continue getting prime opportunities on Thursday.
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Elton Marrow