Nine of the 11 games over the first three days of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs were decided by fewer than three goals. Six were one-goal decisions, including two that went beyond regulation and two had an empty-netter provide a two-goal margin.
All four first-round series that resume Tuesday featured tight openers, with three contests being determined by one tally and the other being a two-goal decision as a result of an empty-netter.
The first Game 2 has the Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Montreal Canadiens, who stole home-ice advantage in the series with a 4-3 overtime triumph on Sunday. Juraj Slafkovsky was the hero for Montreal as he completed his first career postseason hat trick with his third power-play goal of the game 1:22 into the extra session.
Making their first playoff appearance in 15 years, the Buffalo Sabres seek a 2-0 series advantage when they host the Boston Bruins. The Sabres trailed by two goals and appeared lifeless midway through the third period before erupting for four goals in a 6:46 span, with Tage Thompson scoring the first two en route to a 4-3 win.
After squandering a third-period lead in the first playoff game in franchise history, the Utah Mammoth look to even their series when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights. Mark Stone and Nic Dowd tallied less than two minutes apart in the first half of the session to erase the deficit for the Golden Knights, who went on to post a 4-2 victory and improve to 8-0-1 since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy as head coach.
Tuesday’s slate concludes when the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche welcome the Los Angeles Kings to Ball Arena. The Kings kept Colorado’s potent offense in check over the first 35 minutes of Game 1, but Artturi Lehkonen snapped a scoreless tie with 4:31 remaining in the second period and Logan O’Connor tallied early in the third as the Avalanche held on for a 2-1 triumph.
Here are some players with value to consider when making prop bets for Tuesday’s NHL playoff games.
Bet on the NHL Playoffs with the FanDuel Sportsbook promo code for a great deal.
NHL Best bets for Tuesday, April 21
Jake Guentzel, Lightning: 1+ assists (+122, FanDuel)
Guentzel entered the series with 25 points in as many games over his last three postseasons. Ten of those 25 points were assists, and the 31-year-old notched three more in Tampa Bay’s loss on Sunday. Guentzel has amassed six assists over his past four playoff contests, and I like him to pick up at least one in Game 2.
Juraj Slafkovsky, Canadiens: Anytime goal scorer (+200, BetMGM)
After Slafkovsky became the first Canadien to register a postseason hat trick since Rene Bourque in 2014 by scoring three power-play goals in Game 1, everyone is wondering what the 22-year-old Slovakian left wing will do next. While it’s highly unlikely he’ll duplicate that feat, Slafkovsky has netted a tally in three of his last four postseason outings, and I have a feeling the two-time Olympian will find the back of the net again on Tuesday.
Sign up with the BetMGM bonus code to bet on Tuesday’s NHL games
Josh Doan, Sabres: Over 0.5 points (+145, BetMGM)
Following a breakout regular season during which he set career highs with 25 goals, 27 assists and 52 points, Doan was one of many members of the Sabres that were making their postseason debut on Sunday. The 24-year-old right wing did not land on the scoresheet in Buffalo’s comeback victory over Boston, but I don’t expect him to be silenced for very long in this series and believe he’ll record the first point of his playoff career in Game 2.
Clayton Keller, Mammoth: 1+ assists (+120, DraftKings)
Keller led the Mammoth in scoring this season with 88 points, including a career-high 62 assists. The 27-year-old right wing notched a point in seven of nine games with the Arizona Coyotes during his first postseason in 2020, collecting four goals and three assists. He was kept in check by the Golden Knights in the series opener after having ended the regular season with a 10-game point streak, and like Doan, I feel Keller will get on the scoresheet sooner rather than later in this matchup, and Tuesday night is as good a time as any for him to do it.
Get a great deal when using the DraftKings promo code on Tuesday.
Valeri Nichushkin, Avalanche: Over 0.5 points (+105, BetMGM)
Most of Colorado’s big offensive weapons were stifled by Los Angeles in Game 1, hence the final score. Of the team’s top five scorers during the regular season, Nathan MacKinnon was the only one to notch a point as he set up Artturi Lehkonen’s second-period goal. Nichushkin halted his four-game point drought with a pair of assists in Colorado’s season finale against the Seattle Kraken, and I like the 31-year-old Russian right wing to contribute to the team’s scoring in Game 2.
