Hockey fans, unite.
Thursday night is your night. There are no NBA playoff games. There are just four primetime MLB games, and the one on MLBN (Giants at Dodgers) doesn’t start until 10:10 p.m. ET. And let’s just say that anyone who is obsessing over the NFL schedule release probably is not a hockey fan anyway.
That leaves the two NHL Stanley Cup Playoff games as the marquee attractions on Thursday night. In the first game, the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens collide in a crucial Game 5 with the series tied up at 2-2. And in the second matchup, the Las Vegas Golden Knights can advance to the Western Conference Final with a Game 6 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center.
The Sabres are -121 money line favorites over the Canadiens (+100). But in the second game, the odds have the Golden Knights (-110) and Ducks (-109) as essentially a coin flip.
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While the two NHL playoff games are the marquee attractions on Thursday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that includes four MLB primetime games. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Thursday, May 14. All times Eastern.
NHL best bets, where to watch
Canadiens at Sabres
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Buffalo | TV: TNT | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick — Model: Sabres -121
After Buffalo gave up 11 combined goals to Montreal in losses in Games 2 and 3, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff swapped out goalie Alex Lyon for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for Game 4. The move worked. Luukkonen made 28 saves on 30 shots and stopped every Canadiens shot after the first period. Note: the Finnish goalie is 13-3-2 at home this season. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NHL game 10,000 times, says the Sabres win 55% of the time and assigns a ‘B’ grade to the Buffalo money line (-121).
Golden Knights at Ducks
Time: 9:30 p.m. | Location: Anaheim | TV: TNT | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick — Model: Ducks -109
Anaheim’s strength this season has been its depth. While no player scored 70 points during the regular season, seven players had at least 50. No other team had more than six. On Thursday, the Ducks will face a Las Vegas team that will be without Brayden McNabb, who has been suspended for Game 6 because of his hit on Anaheim’s Ryan Poehling. That’s significant since McNabb is averaging almost 22 minutes in the postseason and leads all Golden Knights defensemen in hits (23). The SportsLine Projection Model says the Ducks have a 53% chance to win and gives a ‘C’ grade to the Anaheim money line (-109).
MLB best bets, where to watch
Giants at Dodgers
Time: 10:10 p.m. | Location: Los Angeles | TV: MLB Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick — Model: Dodgers -177 | Expert: Emmet Sheehan Under 17.5 total pitcher outs -122 (Prop Bet Guy)
Los Angeles’ Emmet Sheehan’s start to 2026 hasn’t been quite as good as his end to 2025. After going 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA and 0.97 WHIP last year, he is 2-1 with a 4.79 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP this season. Specifically, his average fastball velocity has dropped from 95.6 to 94.1, according to Baseball Savant. Prop Bet Guy adds the Dodgers’ bullpen is in good shape entering Thursday’s game, which could shorten the leash on Sheehan. “The young righty has shown flashes, but pitching to a 4.79 ERA (4.14 xERA), and needing a lot of pitches to get through at bats (4.09 is 15th most out of 132 qualifiers), this line reads as two outs too many,” he says. Meanwhile the SportsLine Projection Model says Los Angeles has a 61% chance to win and assigns a ‘C’ grade to the Dodgers money line (-177).
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Looking ahead
Spurs at Timberwolves
Time: 9:30 p.m. Friday | Location: Minneapolis | TV: Prime Video
SportsLine pick — Model: Timberwolves +160
The San Antonio Spurs can close out the Minnesota Timberwolves when the teams meet in Game 6 on Friday at the Target Center. The Spurs lead the series 3-2 after Tuesday’s 126-97 victory. However, San Antonio has not been as good defensively on the road as it has been at home during the playoffs. In the postseason, the Spurs have given up 99.3 points per 100 possessions at home (which is the best in the league). But on the road they are allowing 106. The SportsLine Projection Model says the Timberwolves have a 49.0% chance to win and gives a strong ‘A’ grade to the Minnesota money line (+160).
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