This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
Best NHL Bets Tonight: Stanley Cup Playoffs Best Bets for Thursday, April 25
Just two games of NHL playoff action tonight, and they're both in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers and Hurricanes both look to put strangleholds on their respective series as they each head into tonight's tilts up 2-0.
Both clubs pretty much controlled their respective Game 1s, but they had to fight for their victories in Game 2 with the Panthers winning in overtime and the Hurricanes rallying from a multi-goal deficit in the third.
They go on the road into their opponents' barns tonight, so we'll see if that shifts the momentum as the Lightning and Islanders were both strong home teams in the regular season. There are a few looks that I like on the betting board in each contest too, so let's dive into the best NHL bets and player props tonight!
Get in on the action this Stanley Cup Playoffs season with the BetMGM bonus code for a strong welcome offer.
Best NHL Bets Tonight
Lightning Team Total Goals under 2.5 (+135 on DraftKings)
Sergei Bobrovsky is playing out of his mind right now. Check out his highlight reel save from Game 2, maybe the save of the entire season. The Bolts have only scored more than two goals against the Panthers once in their previous seven meetings dating back to February 2023. They only mustered 19 shots in Game 1 and 23 in Game 2 while the Cats had 28 and 37 respectively. The Lightning are actually a slight home favorite on the moneyline, but the Panthers are looking so tough right now. Both Games 1 and 2 ended 3-2. I could see that exact same score happening again tonight.
Hurricanes, Islanders over 5.5 (-102 on FanDuel)
The Hurricanes seem to know how to score against the Isles. They've potted 4+ goals in five of their last six matchups. They also attempted an eye-popping 110 shots in Game 2, actually registering 39. I don't think the Islanders can block another 71. Ilya Sorokin will be back in net for the Isles after Semyon Varlamov started Games 1 and 2, but he's only played twice in the past 20 days. The Canes are a tough matchup for a cold goaltender. I have a bit more faith in the Isles' offense tonight too. They scored 3+ in four of their six meetings in the regular season and the first two games of this playoff series, and they will have the boost from their rabid home crowd at UBS Arena tonight. 4-2 seems like a reasonable target for a final score in favor of the Canes.
Stay up to date on the latest Stanley Cup odds here at RotoWire and get in on the action with the best sportsbook promo codes in the game, like the FanDuel promo code which gets new players a Bet $5, Get $150 in bonus bets offer.
Best NHL Player Props Tonight
Ilya Sorokin over 29.5 saves (-115 on DraftKings)
I just talked all about the barrage of shots the Hurricanes have been throwing at the Isles, so I definitely think Sorokin's going to face a lot of rubber tonight. He's just one season removed from being a finalist for the Vezina, and while he didn't have an elite season statistically in the regular season, he's still a world-class netminder and I think getting the nod from Patrick Roy will be a big boost for his confidence tonight. The Canes have recorded 34+ shots on goal in seven of their last eight meetings with the Isles, so Sorokin could give up a few and still hit this prop if the trends stay true again in this one.
Seth Jarvis over 0.5 points (-128 on FanDuel)
We're riding a hot hand here. Jarvis notched three points on a goal and two assists in Game 2. He has 23 points in his last 20 games overall, and has hit 2+ points in three of his last four including that Game 2 outburst. He seems to always find a way to drive scoring opportunities, whether at even strength, on the power play or even on the penalty kill. The Isles will need to spend so much time trying to match the Guentzel-Aho-Svechnikov line that I think Jarvis will find some gaps to attack.
