Oilers vs. Panthers Game 1 Prediction: Stanley Cup Final Odds
Florida and Edmonton have both had a tough path to the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers knocked off Tampa Bay, Boston and the Rangers in the first three rounds of the playoffs as they look for their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Oilers, who haven’t won a Cup since 1990, went through L.A., Vancouver and Dallas en route to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since losing to Carolina in 2006.
Game 1 is set for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday in Florida. The Panthers are -135 favourites to win on the NHL odds, with the total set at 5.5.
Oilers vs. Panthers NHL Betting Odds
Florida won both regular season meetings between these teams, outscoring Edmonton 10-4 in the process. It’s worth noting, however, that the Oilers have looked like a completely different team since the last time they faced the Panthers in December. The Game 1 total of 5.5 is pretty low when you consider five of the last six head-to-heads, including both this season, have had a total of 7.0.
Florida is sitting at -130 on the series line, while Edmonton is +100. Oddsmakers are banking on a long series as the favoured exact result is a Panthers win in seven games at +400. The biggest long shot is an Oilers sweep at +1300. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid is a +200 favourite to win the Conn Smythe, while the Florida duo of Sergei Bobrovsky and Aleksander Barkov are each +400.
Edmonton Oilers
There’s no question McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are the keys to this series for the Oilers. McDavid leads the playoffs with 31 points and his 26 assists is sixth-most in a playoff year in NHL history. Draisaitl, who is second in playoff scoring with 28 points, has been just as valuable while scoring an NHL-high six power play goals this postseason. Special teams have been crucial for Edmonton as they have the top ranked power play (37.3 per cent) and penalty kill (93.9 per cent) in the playoffs.
Goaltender Stuart Skinner is a bit of a question mark for the Oilers. Skinner is 11-5 with a 2.50 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in the playoffs, but he’s been inconsistent and struggled at times. There’s still hope for Skinner, however, as he was great in the Western Conference Final, going 4-2 with a 1.91 GAA and .922 SV. Since retaking the crease after backup Calvin Pickard started Games 4 and 5 of the second round against Vancouver, Skinner is 6-2 with a 1.81 GAA and .920 SV while allowing two or fewer goals in seven of those eight games.
Florida Panthers
Florida continues to get offensive contribution from throughout the lineup, with seven players recording double digit points and 10 players scoring three or more goals. Agitator Matthew Tkachuk leads the team with 19 points (5G, 14A) and he’s no stranger to facing Edmonton after his days in Calgary. Tkachuk has 26 points (10G, 16A) in 32 career regular season games against the Oilers and he had four points (3G, 1A) when Calgary lost to Edmonton in a five-game second round series in 2022. Barkov, who has 17 points (6G, 11A) this postseason, will also be a key factor in shutting down McDavid.
The Panthers have the clear edge in net with Bobrovsky, who is 12-5 with a 2.20 GAA and 908 SV in the postseason. Bobrovsky has allowed two or fewer goals in 13 of Florida’s 17 playoff games this year and his .855 SV against high-danger shots on goal (106 saves, 124 shots) is the best in the NHL among goalies who have played at least five playoff games this year.
EDM
FLA