We have two second-round games ahead of us tonight. Montreal will host Buffalo for Game 4 at 7:00 p.m. EDT, while the Ducks will play in Vegas for Game 5, beginning at 9:30 p.m. Here are my recommendations for the upcoming action.
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SLATE PREVIEW
Montreal has a 2-1 series lead, and the Canadiens are favored (minus-140) to extend that edge tonight against Buffalo (plus-116), based on FanDuel's moneyline. The Vegas-Anaheim series is tied, but the Golden Knights (minus-160) are regarded as significant favorites against Anaheim (plus-132) for Game 5.
GOALIES
Carter Hart, VGK vs. ANA ($7,800): Hart did allow four goals on 23 shots Sunday, but he's still having a fantastic series overall with a 2.28 GAA and a .923 save percentage. He's 6-4 with a 2.55 GAA and a .905 save percentage in 10 playoff outings this year.
Jakub Dobes, MON vs. BUF ($7,600): Dobes will be going for a third straight win after turning aside 54 of 57 shots (.947 save percentage) across his past two games. Although he has dropped two of his past six games, he's given Montreal plenty of strong goaltending over that stretch, allowing just 11 goals on 175 shots (.937 save percentage).
VALUE PLAYS
Alex Newhook, MON vs. BUF ($5,000): Newhook is red hot after scoring two goals in each of his past two outings. The 25-year-old isn't a consistent offensive force, but he is capable of very productive stretches, with his most notable one from the 2025-26 regular season occurring from Oct. 20-Nov. 8 (five goals and 10 points in nine appearances), so take him until he shows signs of cooling off.
Kirby Dach, MON vs. BUF ($3,800): Finding really cheap options that have appeal is very difficult this deep into the playoffs, and Dach is far from perfect. However, he is capable of far exceeding his price point. The 25-year-old has a solid four goals and five points across his past eight outings. There are also nights when he doesn't contribute even a shot on goal, so he's a calculated risk, but if taking him frees up enough budget room to help elsewhere, then he's a forward worth considering.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Golden Knights vs. Ducks
William Karlsson (C - $4,600), Mitch Marner (W - $7,400), Brett Howden (W - $5,600)
Marner's first playoff run with Vegas is going fantastically for the 29-year-old. He has six goals and a league-leading 16 points in 10 appearances this year. Marner is also showing no signs of slowing after scoring three goals and seven points over his past two games.
His linemates are great selections as well. Karlsson played May 4 for the first time since Nov. 8 due to a lower-body injury, and after a limited role over his opening two games of the playoffs, he seems to be picking up steam with an assist in each of his past two outings. Meanwhile, Howden has been a steady contributor with seven goals and nine points over his past seven appearances.
Canadiens vs. Sabres
Nick Suzuki (C - $7,500), Cole Caufield (W - $7,300), Juraj Slafkovsky (W - $6,400)
Suzuki has been a consistent source of offense in the 2026 playoffs with three goals and nine points across 10 outings, but the knock on this line had been that Caufield and Slafkovsky were unusually quiet. That might be changing. Caufield provided a goal and an assist Sunday to snap his five-game scoring drought. Meanwhile, Slafkovsky has chipped in a goal and an assist over his past three appearances.
Montreal's first line was a huge part of its regular-season success because this unit was among the most productive in the league. If Caufield and Slafkovsky have shaken off their respective cold spells, then Montreal is a far more dangerous team -- and that's saying something given that the Canadiens were managing a good playoff run even while two of their best forwards were struggling.
DEFENSEMEN
Lane Hutson, MON vs. BUF ($6,200): Hutson had 12 goals and 78 points in 82 regular-season outings in 2025-26, and that success has carried into the playoffs. He has two goals and nine points, including five with the man advantage, across 10 appearances in the 2026 postseason.
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. ANA ($6,000): Theodore has been rolling with three goals and seven points across his past seven outings. He also has 16 shots and 22 blocks over that stretch, so he's been providing value even on nights when he doesn't show up on the scoresheet.
