NHL Thursday player props: 3 shooters worth backing

We have an action-packed 10-game slate ahead of us Thursday night, meaning there are an abundance of player props to dissect.

Let's take a closer look at three that stand out from the pack.

David Pastrnak over 4.5 shots (+100)

David Pastrnak is generally someone I prefer to target on home ice. However, this spot is worth an exception.

Although the Los Angeles Kings are a solid shot-suppression team, they do have an Achilles heel. Penalty killing.

The Kings rank 30th in goals against per minute while killing penalties this season, and, well, they take a lot of them.

They've spent an average of 6:59 per game shorthanded over the last 10 contests, which is more than all but the Anaheim Ducks (7:05).

That should be music to the ears of Pastrnak. He is a strong shot generator at five-on-five, no doubt, but his bread and butter is the power play. No player has generated more shots on target on the man advantage this season than Pastrnak.

Getting him shots is priority No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 for the Boston Bruins while on the man advantage. With the Kings struggling to stay out of the box, Pastrnak should be able to put plenty of rubber towards the net in this contest.

Noah Dobson over 2.5 shots (-132)

The Edmonton Oilers are a pretty solid shot-suppression team. They are prone to giving up a lot to opposing defenders, though. Only four sides have allowed more shots to defensemen this season.

Noah Dobson, like most gifted offensive players, tends to generate shots at a higher rate at home. That being said, he has averaged more than six attempts per game over his last 10 on the road. That is very strong volume.

It's also worth noting Dobson faced the Oilers three times during the calendar year of 2022. He cleared three shots in each meeting while averaging more than six attempts per game.

Look for his success to continue against Edmonton.

Alex Pietrangelo over 2.5 shots (-120)

Alex Pietrangelo has been shooting the lights out since returning to the lineup, attempting an impressive 53 shots over eight games. That is more than all but Cale Makar, Roman Josi, and Dougie Hamilton on defense.

It's important to note that Pietrangelo has logged more ice than every defenseman in the league during this stretch. With so many key players out - especially on the back end - he is getting all the opportunity in the world. Naturally, that is leading to plenty of shots.

Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, and Zach Whitecloud should all be out of the lineup against Pittsburgh, so Pietrangelo is not in any danger of a role change.

He should see all the ice he can handle against a Penguins team that offers a surprisingly good matchup. They have been giving up a lot of shots of late, especially to defensemen. In fact, only the Ducks have conceded more shots per game to the position over the last 10.

Expect Pietrangelo to be plenty involved in the offense.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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