SportsLine NHL analyst Scott Erskine gives his thoughts on who to back in Tuesday's Stanley Cup Playoff game
By Scott Erskine May 5, 2026 at 4:03 pm ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images The Carolina Hurricanes have been flawless thus far during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, winning each of their first six games without allowing more than two goals in any of them. Even though the Colorado Avalanche were touched for six tallies in their last outing, they also can own a perfect record through six contests on Tuesday.
Colorado attempts to accomplish that feat when it hosts the Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena for Game 2 of their Western Conference second-round series. A victory by the Avalanche would mark the fourth time in NHL history a team from each conference began a postseason with a six-game winning streak. In two of the previous three instances, those clubs met in the Stanley Cup Final.
Like the Hurricanes, Colorado swept its first-round matchup as it limited the Los Angeles Kings to just five goals over four games. But the Avalanche got involved in a high-scoring affair with the Wild in the opener of their matchup and trailed by one late in the second period after having jumped out to an early three-goal lead before going on to post a 9-6 victory.
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Eight different players scored a goal for Colorado, with defenseman Cale Makar netting a pair, including one 3:21 into the third period that put his team ahead for good. Makar added an assist and fellow blue-liner Devon Toews also recorded four points (one goal, three assists) while Nathan MacKinnon (one goal, two assists) and Martin Necas (three assists) both finished with three points.
Defenseman Quinn Hughes scored one goal and set up two others for the Wild, who matched the franchise record for most goals allowed in a game set during the 2020-21 regular season against the St. Louis Blues (9-1 loss). Rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt gave up a total of six tallies over the final three games of the first-round series against the Dallas Stars before yielding eight in Game 1, and he will be replaced in the crease Tuesday by Filip Gustavsson, who made 49 starts during the regular season but will be making his first this postseason.
Here are some players with value to consider for player prop betting for Tuesday's NHL playoff game.
NHL Best bets for Tuesday, May 5
Matt Boldy, Wild: Anytime goal scorer (+150, DraftKings)
Minnesota matched its high this postseason with six goals in Game 1, but Boldy did not produce one of them. The 25-year-old left wing tallied in each of his previous three contests and is tied with Carolina's Logan Stankoven and Brandon Hagel of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the playoff lead with six goals. Boldy converted twice against the Avalanche in four regular-season meetings, and I expect him to tally in Game 2 as the Wild attempt to even the series.
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Kirill Kaprizov, Wild: Over 0.5 assists (+105, BetMGM)
Kaprizov entered this postseason with 15 goals and six assists in 25 career playoff games. The 29-year-old Russian left wing has been more of a playmaker this year, however, as he shares the league lead with eight assists while netting only two tallies. Kaprizov has set up a goal in five of Minnesota's seven playoff contests, including Game 1 against the Avalanche, and I believe he'll do it again Tuesday.
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Artturi Lehkonen, Avalanche: 1+ points (+116, FanDuel)
Lehkonen registered four points in seven games last postseason but already has six in five contests during this year's playoffs. The 30-year-old Finnish left wing has been kept off the scoresheet just once and is coming off his second multi-point performance in three outings as he scored a goal and set up another in the series opener. Since Lehkonen has notched a point in six of his last eight postseason games, I like him to record one in Game 2.
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