NHL Friday player props: 3 forwards to back

Thursday was another good night for shot totals, as we picked up wins on two of three - Elias Lindholm again fell just one shy - en route to another profitable night.

Let's look at a few totals that stand out as we try to keep the ball rolling.

Mitch Marner over 2.5 shots (-134)

Mitch Marner has been a completely different player since the calendar flipped. Only eight players scored more goals from Jan. 1 through the end of the regular season. Marner's shot rate drastically increased over that time, as he ranked 24th in shots on goal. He's more of a two-way threat than ever before, which has translated to a lot of success with shot totals, even against teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Including the first two games of this series, Marner has amassed 22 shots on goal through five meetings against Tampa Bay. He's gone over the number in four of five, averaging 4.4 per contest.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are leaning heavily on their stars in this series, and Marner is averaging nearly 22 minutes per game. He'll have every opportunity to pick up a few shots.

David Perron over 2.5 shots (-125)

David Perron is the Minnesota Wild whisperer. The veteran winger has enjoyed nothing but success every time he's faced the division rivals.

Dating back to the 2020-21 regular season, Perron has generated at least three shots in nine straight games against Minnesota. He's piled up 36 shots on goal in that span, good for an average of four per night.

As an added bonus, Perron averages shots on goal at a slightly higher rate on home soil. That should help the cause a little bit as he looks to hit against the Wild for the 10th game in a row.

Anze Kopitar over 2.5 shots (+115)

Anze Kopitar has enjoyed plenty of success against the Edmonton Oilers this season, accumulating three shots or more in four of six meetings. Kopitar logged better than 25 minutes in both games that he failed to hit the mark, so, if nothing else, he's getting every opportunity to get the job done.

Kopitar is an OK shot generator at five-on-five, but he's one of the Los Angeles Kings' go-to guys on the man advantage. It just so happens the Oilers give up plenty of volume while shorthanded. They have taken quite a few penalties down the stretch, and that's carried forward into the playoffs. Only four of 16 teams have spent more time shorthanded through two postseason games this year.

Home ice is also working in Kopitar's favor. He hit three shots 63% of the time in L.A. during the regular season, compared to just 40% on the road.

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

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