NHL Predictions: Expert Picks on Thursday, May 14

Key Points:

• The NHL playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres is tied 2-2, with momentum seen as shifting from shift to shift rather than game to game; the Canadiens have not lost consecutive games this postseason, while the Sabres have struggled at home.
• Key player props include Montreal’s Alex Newhook, who leads the team with five goals and 17 shots in the series, and Cole Caufield, who has scored in back-to-back games; Buffalo’s Josh Doan has points in all four games, and Rasmus Dahlin is expected to exceed 2.5 shots on goal if he avoids penalties.
• Recommended bets for the Canadiens-Sabres game include the over 5.5 total goals (-130), various Alex Newhook props (anytime goal, first goal, shots on goal), and player props for Cole Caufield, Rasmus Dahlin, Josh Doan, and Konsta Helenius.
• In the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks series, Vegas leads 3-2 and has a strong 5-0 record in Game Six Stanley Cup playoff games; however, key absences include Vegas’ Mark Stone (injury) and Brayden McNabb (suspension), and Anaheim’s Ryan Poehling (injury).
• Player props for the Game Six matchup highlight Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke, who has scored and opened scoring in the last four games, Mason McTavish’s consistent shots on goal, and Vegas’ Pavel Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl, both with recent goal streaks.