NHL Playoffs: Ducks at +136 Value in Game 5 vs Golden Knights, Under 6.5 Pick

The NHL playoffs continue with Game 5 between the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights tonight. The series stands at 2-2 after the teams alternated wins and losses.

The Ducks finished the regular season at 43-33-6, good for third in the Pacific Division. They improved from under .500 last year and their first playoff appearance since 2017-18, when they were swept. Coach Joel Quenneville turned the team around in a year. In the first round, Anaheim beat Edmonton in six games despite the Oilers' talent. Expect Lukas Dostal in net. He went 30-20-4 in the regular season with 3.10 goals against average and .888 save percentage. He allowed 29 goals on 231 shots and was pulled in Game 3 after three first-period goals.

Vegas topped the Pacific at 39-26-17. Since joining the league in 2017, the Golden Knights reached the playoffs in all but one year. They lost the Stanley Cup Final to Washington that first season and won the Cup once since. They beat Utah Mammoth in six first-round games, with two of four wins in overtime. Their two series wins covered the puckline. Carter Hart likely starts after all postseason games, allowing 27 goals on 310 shots for a 91% save rate.

Teams winning Game 5 in 2-2 series take it 82% of the time. The Ducks offer value at +136, but the game is a toss-up. Five Vegas home postseason games saw just one over 6.5 goals. The last two topped seven, but caution should prevail in this key matchup. Pick: under 6.5.