The Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway, and Saturday features a thrilling Game 1 between Central Division rivals, the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars. Colorado edged out Dallas in two of their three regular season games, one of which went to overtime. The Stars concluded the season with 106 points, placing them third in the Western Conference, closely followed by the Avalanche with 102 points. This series promises high-level talent, particularly from Colorado, led by Nathan MacKinnon, who finished second in league scoring and tied for the most assists this season.
Despite starting on the road for Game 1, the Avalanche are favored to win with a -152 money line, while the Stars are home underdogs at +127. The Avalanche are also favored by 1.5 goals on the puck line, and the game`s over/under is set at 6.5 goals.
SportsLine`s projection model, which simulates each NHL game 10,000 times, offers insights into top-rated prop bets under the `Prop Picks` tab. These ratings can guide successful parlays on various betting platforms and same-game parlays on betting sites.
Here are the SportsLine model`s top three player prop picks for Saturday`s Avalanche-Stars game, along with the potential payout for a three-leg same-game parlay:
Avalanche-Stars Same Game Parlay (+357)
- Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots on goal (-130): 5 stars
- Brock Nelson Over 1.5 shots on goal (-146): 5 stars
- Martin Necas Over 1.5 shots on goal (-188): 5 stars
Nathan MacKinnon`s exceptional season, marked by 116 points and 84 assists, is further highlighted by his league-leading 320 shots on goal. He was one of only two players to surpass 300 shots this season. The model projects him to exceed his shot prop of 3.5, forecasting 4.6 shots in this game, a 5-star rated pick. MacKinnon has consistently exceeded this prop in recent games against strong teams. Interestingly, the model also recommends taking the Under on his total points prop of 1.5, also a 5-star pick.
The model also favors Brock Nelson to surpass his shots on goal prop, another 5-star selection. Nelson has a strong track record of exceeding his shot prop in road games against winning teams, averaging 3.6 shots in those situations. He is projected for 2.5 shots on goal against Dallas.
Adding to the Avalanche focus, Martin Necas is also predicted to exceed his shots on goal prop, rated as a 5-star pick. His prop line is also 1.5, and he is projected to achieve 3.0 shots on goal on Saturday. Necas has averaged 2.8 shots in his last five road games.
