Matthews to score historic 70th goal vs. Panthers

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We swept the board Monday night, cashing in on the Islanders and both player props.

We'll look to replicate that performance with three more plays for the last big slate of the NHL season.

Dylan Larkin: Over 3.5 shots

Larkin is a one-man shooting gallery. He has averaged 4.4 shots on 7.7 attempts over the past 10 games and has gone over this total in five of the past seven.

The Red Wings are playing for their season and ramping up Larkin's usage. The captain has logged at least 20 minutes in seven consecutive games, often playing in the range of 22-to-24 minutes.

Larkin is an efficient shot-generator at the best of times. With so much ice time coming his way, it is no coincidence we're seeing a big spike in production.

The Red Wings are playing in a must-win game Tuesday. They have to get two points to have any chance of making the dance, meaning Larkin will see a full dose of usage even if up two or three goals. They simply can't afford to let off the gas.

Larkin has feasted on the Canadiens, recording at least four shots in six of the past seven meetings. They are bleeding shots at five-on-five, struggling on the penalty kill, and giving up a ton to centers on a nightly basis, so there's no reason to expect Larkin to slow down.

Odds: +103 (playable to -140)

Auston Matthews: Over 0.5 goals

Matthews is on an absolute heater. He has scored in eight consecutive games and 11 times over the past 10 contests.

The volume he's generating is simply absurd. Only Nathan MacKinnon - who has logged well over 20 more minutes of ice than Matthews - has recorded more shots in the past 10 games, while No. 34 leads the NHL in scoring chances by a margin of 11. He is piling up the shots, and from dangerous areas at that.

The Maple Leafs are not playing for anything as a team. They won't move in the standings no matter how things play out over the final two games. Their sole purpose is getting Matthews his 70th goal, at which point they can pull the plug on some key regulars and rest them for the playoffs.

I expect the Leafs will do everything they can to get Matthews his historic goal against the Panthers, opening the door for a night of rest Wednesday.

Although the Panthers aren't exactly pushovers, they're missing some key personnel due to injury. That should help the Maple Leafs control more of the puck and create some chances for Matthews that might not have been there otherwise.

Odds: -130

Noah Hanifin: Over 0.5 points

We are riding the wave for Hanifin and riding it well. He has found the scoresheet in his last four games and five of the past six.

Hanifin is playing a lot of minutes behind the Jack Eichel line at even strength and quarterbacking the top power-play unit. He's getting the optimal usage for point production and taking full advantage of it.

I expect that will be the case again versus the Blackhawks. They're one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL, and Arvid Soderblom is incapable of bailing them out.

Soderblom owns a putrid .880 save percentage through 31 appearances and ranks dead last in goals saved above expected.

The matchup is as good as it gets for Hanifin and the Golden Knights. Given they'd control their destiny with a win, putting them in a good position to avoid an opening-round matchup with the Stars, they should put their pedal through the floor.

Odds: +105 (playable to -130)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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