NHL Monday player props: 3 shooters to target
We have two crucial Game 4's to look forward to on Monday night. Let's take a look at the best way to attack them through shot totals.
Aleksander Barkov over 3.5 shots (+100)
Barkov didn't have much success against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the regular season but has flipped the switch in this playoff series.
The captain of the Florida Panthers has piled up 25 shot attempts and 14 shots on goal through three meetings thus far. That equates to 8.3 attempts and 4.6 shots per contest - impressive numbers.
Barkov was a very efficient shot generator against the Washington Capitals. Meanwhile, only two of the remaining eight teams have conceded more shots to centers than Tampa Bay during the playoffs. From those angles, Barkov's success should be anything but surprising.
He's logged at least 21 minutes in each game of the series, offering ample time to generate shots. With Florida's season on the line, you can bet he'll be playing all the minutes he can handle on Monday night.
Ryan O'Reilly over 2.5 shots (-112)
O'Reilly has been a model of consistency in more ways than one. He has generated at least three shots in seven of nine playoff games thus far, falling just one puck shy in both exceptions. He averaged nearly 3.6 shots per game in that span.
His shooting success - at least against the Colorado Avalanche - has become the norm. O'Reilly has amassed 21 shots over six meetings vs the Avalanche dating back to the regular season and he's hit in four straight meetings.
His attempt numbers are steady, he's seeing a ton of ice time across all game situations, and he should also benefit from Colorado's defense being thinned out with the injury to Sam Girard.
Cale Makar over 2.5 shots (-195)
Makar has not been a frequent target for us this season but there's a lot to like about him in this spot. The St. Louis Blues gave up a lot of shots to defenders all year long. Only six teams - none of which made the playoffs - allowed shots at a higher rate to blue-liners during the regular campaign.
Not much has changed in the playoffs, clearly, as Makar has piled up 24 shot attempts through just three games thus far. That puts him just one back of Nathan MacKinnon for the team lead.
With Girard out of the lineup, even more responsibility could fall on Makar's shoulders; he played nearly 29 minutes last time out. Given how dynamic he's looked, and how efficient he's generated shots, Makar should be able to make the most of any extra ice.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.