On Monday, the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continue with two important games. In the Eastern Conference first round, the Tampa Bay Lightning aim to tie their series against the defending champion Florida Panthers in Game 4. Meanwhile, the Western Conference series between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche will see its critical Game 5 played in Dallas, with the series currently level at two games each.
The Lightning dropped the first two games of this Florida rivalry series at home but bounced back strongly in Game 3 on Saturday, securing a decisive 5-1 road win. Nick Paul broke a 1-1 tie in the second period, and Tampa Bay netted three goals in the final frame to pull clear and prevent falling behind 3-0 in the series.
After overpowering the Stars in Dallas in the series opener, the Avalanche faced two consecutive overtime defeats. Showing great resilience, they responded with a convincing 4-0 win on Saturday. Alexandar Georgiev registered his first career postseason shutout, stopping all 23 shots. Additionally, captain Gabriel Landeskog tallied a goal and an assist in just his second NHL game back since Colorado secured their third franchise title against Tampa Bay in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.
Building on a four-day successful streak with postseason best bets, here are some prop bet opportunities with potentially good value to consider for Monday`s playoff matchups.
Best Bets
Jake Guentzel, Lightning – Anytime Goal Scorer (+210)
Guentzel found the net for the second time in the series during Tampa Bay`s Game 3 win, where he also recorded two assists. He was involved in a significant late hit by Matthew Tkachuk in that game but seemed fine during his postgame comments. Given that the league didn`t discipline Tkachuk, Guentzel might be extra motivated to make an impact against the Panthers by scoring, helping his team level the series at two games each.
Brayden Point, Lightning – 1+ Assist (+158)
While Point has scored in two of the first three games of this series against Florida, he hasn`t yet registered an assist. However, the 29-year-old center hit the 40-assist mark for the third straight season in 2024-25, including two assists in a late-season game against the Panthers. He also had three assists in the Lightning`s series loss to Florida last year. Expect Point to be involved in Tampa Bay`s offensive production on Monday.
Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche – Anytime Goal Scorer (+125)
MacKinnon leads the league in goals this postseason with four, having scored in three of Colorado`s first four games. The current Hart Trophy holder has already equaled his goal total from 11 playoff games last year. Scoring against the Stars in the playoffs is something MacKinnon is familiar with, having scored 11 times in 17 career playoff games against them. Three of his goals in the current series have come on the power play, suggesting he`s a strong threat whenever Dallas takes a penalty.
Best Longshot
Cale Makar, Avalanche – 2+ Assists (+400)
Makar hasn`t had a significant offensive game in this series yet, recording just two assists through the first four games. The 26-year-old defenseman has posted multiple assists 12 times in his playoff career. However, Dallas has limited him to fewer than two assists in their last nine playoff meetings since he last achieved this mark in Game 1 of their second-round series last year (won by Dallas in six games). As the 2022 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Makar has a strong playoff track record with 61 assists in 76 games and is capable of breaking out offensively in this crucial game.
