Published on: May 6, 2026, 05:32h.
Updated on: May 6, 2026, 05:32h.
- Vegas Golden Knights set to battle the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 tonight at T-Mobile Arena
- Mitch Marner emerges as a popular prop bet choice for the Golden Knights
- Vegas is favored at -160 against the Ducks
Former Toronto Maple Leaf Mitch Marner, who joined the Vegas Golden Knights last summer as a high-profile free agent, is attracting considerable prop betting action as their second-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks intensifies.
Game 2 Scheduled for Tonight
The Anaheim Ducks will face off against the Golden Knights at 9:30 p.m. EST for Game 2 of their NHL series at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Las Vegas clinched a victory in Game 1 on Monday, finishing 3-1.
“The Knights’ game is set to be the final matchup of the evening but is likely to see the highest betting volume due to its timing,” remarked Johnny Avello, Director of Race & Sports Operation at DraftKings. “Bettors are inclined to favor the home-ice advantage of the Knights, reflected in a line move from -162 to -166.”
At BetMGM, Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev is highly favored for player props, particularly Over 0.5 Points (-118), alongside the Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier who is seen as likely to have Under 3.5 Shots (+100).
Popular Prop Bets for Marner
Among the hottest bets for scoring a goal in Game 2 are Pavel Dorofeyev at +195, Gauthier at +190, and Mitch Marner at +230.
An astounding ninety-nine percent of bets are on Marner to achieve over 0.5 assists (-145). Marner has notched six assists in seven playoff games so far.
After spending a decade with the Maple Leafs, Marner has previously faced criticism for underperforming in the playoffs. He is determined to alter that narrative and is currently making strides toward that goal.
Golden Knights as Betting Favorites
The Golden Knights stand at -160 on BetMGM (47% of the bets and 33% of the handle), while the Ducks are positioned at +135 (53% of bets and 67% of handle). The Ducks +1.5 Spread (-175) is capturing 69% of bets and 76% of handle.
Then there’s Vegas’s starting goalkeeper, Carter Hart. Throughout the season, there were uncertainties regarding the Knights’ goaltending, which prompted a coaching change on March 29 when they replaced Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella. Hart has taken the helm as the goalie since, leading the team to a 7-0-1 stretch going into the playoffs.
In the postseason, Hart has been exceptional, boasting a .910 save percentage, improving to .965 over the last few games. He stopped 33 shots in Game 1.
The Hart Factor
“You can take two sides when it comes to Carter Hart,” commented Karry Shreeve, Head of Hockey at Caesars Sportsbook. “From a workload perspective of the NHL season, Hart has little to worry about, having played less than 30 games since joining VGK. However, the flip side is that he hasn’t been in this many consecutive appearances for years, raising questions about its impact. There aren’t many recent parallel situations to analyze.
“Ultimately, the key will be the team’s continued performance in front of him. Currently, it trends positively; hence, he could sustain this form.”
Stanley Cup Odds
The Golden Knights have gone against two lesser-known teams thus far, namely the Ducks and the Utah Mammoth in Round 1.
“While I recognize the Edmonton Oilers as a mainstream team, I was surprised by the amount of attention they received despite lacking value in their odds for both individual games and the series,” Shreeve stated. “The Boston Bruins have also attracted considerable interest but with minimal justifications backing it.”
The Tortorella Impact
What is truly the impact of Coach Tortorella? How much is attributed to his strategy and structure versus the talent finally coming together?
“This is a nuanced topic,” Shreeve said. “It would be unfair to give him no credit at all. Winning is winning, and gathering consecutive wins is more impressive. However, I’m not entirely convinced that with Cassidy in charge, the same successes wouldn’t have occurred.”
“The reality remains that the Knights faced a relatively easy schedule towards the season’s conclusion, played against a Utah team lacking playoff experience, which became evident during critical moments, and are presently up against a Ducks team with similar inexperience as a group.
“What we can definitively ascertain is that Vegas has advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs and is favored to progress to the Conference Finals. Nevertheless, opinions will vary on who deserves credit.”