Barkov's playmaking success to continue vs. Bruins

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Monday night wasn't kind to us on the ice. After previously hitting in all 13 games in which he attempted at least 12 shots, Nathan MacKinnon found the target only four times on a dozen tries. And Jake Guentzel couldn't get to three shots despite sitting at two a minute into the second period. Ouch.

We'll look to rebound with three props for the NHL's Tuesday night two-pack.

Aleksander Barkov: Over 0.5 assists

Barkov continues to be an assist machine. He's recorded eight through nine playoff games and five in this series against the Bruins.

The Finn's track record against Boston is strong. Barkov has posted 17 assists in his previous 20 games versus the club, including 10 in the last 10.

And his home splits against the Bruins are downright absurd. Barkov has 11 assists over his last nine home games and has picked up at least one in eight contests. For whatever reason, Barkov has no problem creating goals against one of the league's stingiest teams.

The Panthers have generated more expected goals at five-on-five with Barkov on the ice in this series than with any other forward. He's getting plenty of opportunities at full strength while serving as a primary distributor on the power play.

Nobody on Florida's top unit has more power-play points than Barkov in this series, and nobody on that No. 1 unit has attempted fewer shots.

Barkov is looking to pass, and he's doing a great job of finding teammates in dangerous areas. Expect that to continue Tuesday.

Odds: -110 (playable to -130)

Matthew Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shots

Tkachuk's shot generation has been excellent in this series. He leads all players with 17 shots on target through four games, and his volume has increased throughout the series. Tkachuk has piled up 12 shots over the past two games while attempting eight-plus in each.

The 26-year-old has a strong history against the Bruins, particularly in Florida. Tkachuk recorded four shots or more in seven of the last nine at home versus Boston.

Opponent aside, he's also ramped his shooting up in the playoffs. Tkachuk has cleared this line in seven of nine games during this run.

The Panthers have steamrolled the Bruins with Tkachuk on the ice at five-on-five, winning the shot attempt battle 61-34. They've dominated during Tkachuk's minutes, and he should see plenty of ice time Tuesday with a chance to end the series.

Look for Tkachuk to live around the paint and pick up a handful of shots.

Odds: -130 (playable to -140)

Evander Kane: Under 2.5 shots

To say Kane's had a miserable time against the Canucks would be an understatement. The veteran winger has faced Vancouver seven times between the 2023-24 regular season and playoffs, recording two shots or fewer in each game. He's also combined for only four shots over their last four meetings.

The Canucks are an excellent defensive team. They give up few shooting opportunities and are willing to get into the lane to block the ones they concede. That's why Kane has failed to enjoy any form of success against them, even in games when his attempt volume is solid.

Kane's had no success against the Canucks, and his ice time is dwindling, having logged fewer than 15 minutes in two of the past three games.

If Kane isn't getting a full workload against an elite shot-suppression team, I see plenty of value in backing the under.

Odds: -140 (playable to -160)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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