Best NHL Prop Bets Today: Carolina’s Revamped Top Line in a Position to Thrive

With San Jose’s defense ranking near dead last in Expected Goals Against in All Situations, the Carolina Hurricanes are in a favorable position to set a scoring pace too fast for the Sharks to keep up with and cover the puck line in regulation. Before that takes place, we turn our attention towards the Chicago Blackhawks as their anemic offense faces off against a Los Angeles Kings back line who excels at defending their net.

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Carolina Hurricanes vs. San Jose Sharks - Prop Bets (10:30 PM, EST)

Carolina Hurricanes Puck Line -1.5 (-120) at BetMGM Sportsbook

Even after trading away Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars, the Carolina Hurricanes front line have been able to sustain their high level of play as they currently lead the league in Expected Goals For in All Situations with an average of 3.61 Expected Goals per game. Adding Logan Stankoven to one of their bottom lines has given Carolina a productive playmaker who can continue to pressure the net while their stars rest as the Hurricanes rookie averages 0.27 Expected Goals and 2.49 Shots on Goal per game.

Carolina’s high powered front line will have the opportunity to light up the scoreboard on Thursday night as they face off against a San Jose Sharks defense who ranks 31st overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Especially with Alexandar Georgiev anchoring their net as the former Colorado Avalanche goalie has struggled to play at a competitive level this season. In his 41 starts, Georgiev is averaging a stunning 3.64 Goals Against per game and a .875 Save Percentage.

With minimal support from their defense, the Sharks will struggle to keep it close as their own offense ranks 30th overall in Expected Goals For in All Situations. Even with Macklin Celebrini leading the charge, the Calder Memorial Trophy contender is in desperate need of receiving help from his teammates as only two other players average more than 0.25 Expected Goals per game. With the Sharks failing to play at a competitive level on both sides of the ice, back the Hurricanes to cover the puck line.

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Seth Jarvis Anytime Goalscorer (+150) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Seth Jarvis has played a major role in Carolina’s success this season as the Hurricanes forward leads the team in Expected Goals. Since being moved to the same line as Sebastian Aho when Andrei Svechnikov went down with an injury, Jarvis has had more room to work with while his linemate commands defensive attention away from him. Expect Jarvis to capitalize on the higher quality shooting lanes the Sharks back line will provide when they shift their coverage towards Aho and net his 27th goal of the season.

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Los Angeles Kings vs. Chicago Blackhawks - Prop Bets (8:30 PM, EST)

Chicago Blackhawks Team Total Under 2.5 (-145) at BetMGM Sportsbook

With less than 20 games remaining in the regular season, the Los Angeles Kings are still in contention for the Pacific division title as they are only six points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first. Even with their front line struggling to give them the production they need to be a well rounded unit, their defense has been able to keep them competitive in their contests as the Kings lead the league in Expected Goals Against in All Situations with an average of 2.68 Expected Goals Against per game.

While the Kings defense has thrived, the Chicago Blackhawks front line have been abysmal as their offense ranks dead last in Expected Goals For in All Situations. With only Tyler Bertuzzi and Ryan Donato averaging more than 0.25 Expected Goals per game, the Blackhawks lack the versatility needed to stretch out the Kings back line to help create gaps in their coverage. This hurts Chicago’s ability to generate high quality Shots on Goal, increasing the likelihood they are held under their team total.

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Adrian Kempe Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (-160) at BetMGM Sportsbook

Not only have the Blackhawks severely underwhelmed on offense, but their defense has also struggled to play at a competitive level as their back line ranks 28th overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Their lack of coverage will allow Adrian Kempe to consistently pressure their net which increases his chances of generating more Shots on Goal. For some more exposure, escalator bet the over on Kempe’s Shots on Goal by sprinkling smaller wagers on his alternate totals.

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