Wednesday`s three-game slate in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs features two Eastern Conference powerhouses, the top-seeded Washington Capitals and the defending champion Florida Panthers, aiming to conclude their initial round matchups. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets, who won the Presidents` Trophy, seek to take control in their Western Conference series against the St. Louis Blues.
Hosting the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5, Washington has a chance to secure their first playoff series victory since their 2018 Stanley Cup Final win over the Vegas Golden Knights. On Sunday, Montreal was close to tying the series at two games each, but a strong third period from the Capitals, featuring two goals from Brandon Duhaime within a four-goal surge, led to a 5-2 win and a 3-1 series advantage for Washington.
The Panthers travel to Tampa Bay aiming to eliminate the Lightning in five games in the opening round for the second straight playoffs. Florida also mounted a third-period rally in Game 4 on Monday, scoring three goals in just over two minutes late in the final frame to overturn a deficit and clinch a 4-2 victory.
However, the Panthers will again be missing defenseman Aaron Ekblad. In his second game back after serving a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program, Ekblad scored the tying goal with 3:47 left in regulation on Monday. Despite this, the 29-year-old has now received a two-game suspension from the league for elbowing Tampa Bay`s Brandon Hagel in the head during the second period of Game 4.
In the series between the Jets and Blues, home-ice advantage has been significant, with Winnipeg taking the first two games at Canada Life Centre and St. Louis responding by winning the subsequent two at Enterprise Center. In Game 4 on Sunday, after conceding the initial goal, the Blues dominated, leading to a 5-1 win that saw two-time Vezina Trophy winner and 2025 finalist Connor Hellebuyck pulled from the net for the second consecutive game. St. Louis has held a 13-5 scoring edge over the past three games, following a 5-3 defeat in Game 1.
Following a successful five-day run of profitable postseason wagers, here are some player prop bets worth considering for Wednesday`s playoff matchups.
Wednesday`s Top Player Props
Alex Ovechkin, Capitals – Anytime Goal Scorer (+110, bet365)
Despite Washington`s five-goal outburst in their Game 4 win against Montreal, Ovechkin surprisingly didn`t find the back of the net. The NHL`s all-time leading regular-season goal scorer previously scored twice in the series opener and once in Game 3. Ovechkin, a 39-year-old and nine-time Maurice Richard Trophy winner, hasn`t gone consecutive games without a goal since March 11-13, having scored 14 goals in his last 19 appearances. It is anticipated that the Capitals will close out the series against the Canadiens on Wednesday, and Ovechkin is expected to be a key contributor.
Sam Reinhart, Panthers – Anytime Goal Scorer (+200, DraftKings)
Last postseason, Reinhart netted at least two goals in each of Florida`s four series, including scoring three times in the five-game first-round matchup against Tampa Bay. The 29-year-old scored in the first period of this series` opener but hasn`t scored since. With the Panthers looking to advance on Wednesday, it would not be unexpected for Reinhart to score against Andrei Vasilevskiy to help seal the series win.
Aleksander Barkov, Panthers – 1+ Assist (+106, FanDuel)
Since the regular season, Barkov has recorded at least one assist in 11 of his last 11 games and has avoided consecutive games without a helper since March 20-22. His only game in this series without an assist was Florida`s 5-1 loss in Game 3. The 29-year-old Finnish captain has accumulated 45 assists in 66 career games versus the Lightning, with 14 coming in 19 playoff appearances.
Cam Fowler, Blues – 1+ Assist (+146, FanDuel)
Fowler is having an impressive series for St. Louis, currently tied for fifth in the NHL with eight points this postseason. The 33-year-old joined an exclusive group as the eighth defenseman in league history to register at least five points in a playoff game, achieving this with a goal and four assists in the Blues` 7-2 win over the Jets in Game 3. Fowler has recorded nine assists during his active five-game point streak, which started in St. Louis` final regular-season game against the Utah Hockey Club, and has totaled 14 helpers in his last 17 playoff appearances.
