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Juraj Slafkovsky exploded for a hat trick in his playoff opener, but the Montreal winger has been held quiet since as the Canadiens prepare for a pivotal Game 3 against the Buffalo Sabres.
Despite the recent scoring drought, the opportunities are still there, and my Sabres vs. Canadiens props expect Slafkovsky to bounce back in a big way tonight.
Let’s break down my favorite Sabres vs. Canadiens predictions, along with today’s top NHL picks and the full game preview for this Eastern Conference showdown.
Best Sabres vs Canadiens props for Game 3
Player
Pick
Juraj Slafkovsky
Over 0.5 points
-155
Rasmus Dahlin
Over 2.5 shots
-125
Ivan Demidov
Over 0.5 points
-120
Game 3 Prop #1: Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points
-155 at BET99
Juraj Slafkovsky opened the playoffs with a hat trick, but he has picked up just one point over his last seven games despite piling up 22 scoring chances. That leads all Montreal Canadiens players and ranks ahead of names like Matt Boldy and Jack Eichel league-wide.
The Canadiens are consistently generating chances during his minutes, creating 9.1 expected goals but scoring only three times. Montreal also scored 123 goals on 117 expected goals with Slafkovsky on the ice during the regular season, so this kind of cold finishing is not the norm.
The puck should start going in sooner rather than later, and Slafkovsky is well-positioned to benefit when it does.
Game 3 Prop #2: Rasmus Dahlin Over 2.5 shots
-125 at BET99
Rasmus Dahlin leads all defensemen in shot attempts, shots on goal, and scoring chances during the playoffs.
He has been extremely aggressive in the offensive zone, and he should have plenty of room to operate against a Montreal Canadiens team more focused on clogging the middle of the ice than pressuring the points. The Wild are the only active playoff team allowing more shots per game to defensemen during their postseason run.
Dahlin has already generated nine shots on goal through two games in this series and has cleared 2.5 shots in seven of his last nine meetings with Montreal.
Game 3 Prop #3: Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
-120 at BET99
Martin St. Louis can give Ivan Demidov easier matchups and more favorable usage at home, and that has shown up clearly in his numbers. When isolating Montreal’s home games this postseason, Demidov leads the Canadiens in shots on goal and scoring chances.
Only Lane Hutson has attempted more shots, and he has logged 33 more minutes across just three games.
With plenty of offensive-zone starts against weaker lines and pairings at 5-on-5, plus consistent work on the top power-play unit, Demidov has a strong path to getting back on the scoresheet.
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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