Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers: NHL Odds, Prediction
If you are an Edmonton fan perhaps wanting to check out this game in person, it’s the longest trip possible for the team. Google estimates it would take “only” 44 hours to drive the 4,813 kilometres from Edmonton to Sunrise, Fla. So hopefully you left Thursday if driving. It starts a four-game trip for the Oilers.
Oilers vs Panthers Betting Analysis
The Panthers look for the season sweep as they had one of their best offensive showings of the season on Feb. 12 at Rogers Arena, winning 7-5 – that was part of a six-game losing streak for Edmonton that all but killed any playoff hopes. Florida had four third-period goals, three of them by Vincent Trocheck for his first career hat trick — one goal an empty-netter and two on the power play as the Panthers were 3-for-4 with the man advantage. Evgenii Dadonov added two goals. Neither was the No. 1 star; Connor McDavid was with a goal and assist. Cam Talbot was in net for Edmonton and James Reimer for Florida.
Meanwhile, the Oilers haven’t lost at the Panthers since March 8, 2002, by a 5-4 score when McDavid was 5 years old. Flashback alert: Edmonton got two goals and an assist from Anson Carter and three assists from Mike Comrie and Ryan Smyth in the loss. Jussi Markkanen and Tommy Salo were in net. Roberto Luongo was for the Panthers – and he’s still going strong.
Last year, Edmonton was a 4-3 victor there as Kris Russell scored the winner with 7:58 left.
The road team is 6-1 in the past seven meetings.
Edmonton Oilers
About the only motivation left for the Oilers (30-35-5) is to avoid finishing with a losing record. They have lost back-to-back games by a goal this week, 1-0 in Calgary on Tuesday and 4-3 in overtime at home vs. San Jose on Wednesday. Three different times the Oilers had a one-goal lead in the latter. Backup Al Montoya was in net vs. the Sharks and was beaten by Tomas Hertl 2:40 into OT. Should be Talbot back in there for this one. McDavid had a seven-game points streak snapped Tuesday but bounced back with two assists Wednesday. Defenceman Oscar Klefbom returned from a two-game injury absence and had a goal and assist vs. the Sharks. He was named the game’s No. 1 star.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers (35-26-7) have been one of the NHL’s best teams since the All-Star break and nearly unbeatable at home. They were impressive Thursday in a 3-0 win over Boston. On his 30th birthday, Reimer had 46 saves in his third shutout of the year. That was his first start in six games, and it should be Luongo on Saturday unless coach Bob Boughner decides to ride the hot hand. Luongo’s numbers (14-8-2, 2.61 GAA, .926 SV) are better overall. Aleksander Barkov leads the Panthers with 70 points, while Trocheck is first in goals with 27. Trocheck found the net vs. Boston and has eight points in a five-game points streak.
