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NHL bets: Following two teams that need a win tonight
Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) shoots the puck past Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) and right wing Jonathan Marchessault (81). Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

NHL bets: Following two teams that need a win tonight

We are a clean 4-0 on our last two NHL betting articles, and if it's no different to you, I'd like to order another 2-0 night on the ice.

I'm having a hard time reading the two series that currently sit at 3-0, so instead, we turn to the evening slate and load up a pair of props on the two teams that could really use a win today.

Tyler Bertuzzi point (-110 DraftKings)

Bruins vs. Maple Leafs, 8 p.m. ET, TBS

When I consider the line most likely to produce for the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, it has to be their top unit of Bertuzzi, Auston Matthews and Max Domi.

All three are inside the top-four for even-strength shots and expected goals this series, and the three have combined for 14 high-danger scoring chances, easily the most on the team.

If you watched Game 3 in Toronto, you saw that on display, with Tyler Bertuzzi logging a ton of quality looks. It compelled me to bet him live to score, which he did. I say that not to brag (but I mean, come on, that was awesome), but rather to say that I'm expecting more of the same.

The line was just buzzing, plain and simple.

Bertuzzi now has a point in two straight games and nine SOG in that stretch. I do like his goal at +290, but I'll opt for safety with his point prop. Max Domi at +115 for a point is another that I may end up playing.

Down 2-1, I'm expecting a spirited Leafs effort at home to knot this series up.


Wyatt Johnston over 2.5 SOG (-130 DraftKings)

Stars vs. Golden Knights, 10:30 p.m. ET, TBS

This is a bit more juiced than I'd prefer to play, but I'm going to it anyway. With Dallas down 0-2, you can bet they're about to up the intensity as much as they're able. Just last year in the Western Conference Final, the Stars went down 0-2 to Vegas. They lost Game 3, 4-0, but they did log 34 shots on net that day.

Johnston led the way in that game with four SOG.

So far this series, Johnston has just four shots, but he has 17 attempts, and now he's been elevated to the top line alongside Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz.

Johnston has gone over 2.5 shots in 13 of his past 15 on the road, averaging 3.9 shots on goal. He also has hit this number in five straight games in Vegas, including SOG totals of six, four and five in three playoff meetings last season.

I'm hopeful that we see a better conversion of attempts to shots on net from Johnston, who has eight and nine attempts thus far this series. When Johnston does find that type of volume (8+ attempts), he's over 2.5 shots in 18 of 19 games over his young career, averaging 4.7 SOG per game.

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