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The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers meet Monday for the decisive Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Puck drop from Amerant Bank Arena is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Oilers vs. Panthers odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Panthers fired out to a 3-0 series lead, including a 3-0 win in Game 1 and a 4-1 victory in Game 2 on home ice. However, with a chance to put the Oilers away in Game 4, Edmonton pounded Florida 8-1.
In Game 5, the Panthers had a chance to secure the Stanley Cup on home ice, but lost 5-3. The Oilers forced the series back to Edmonton for Game 6, and they posted a 5-1 win to set up a winner-take-all Game 7 in South Florida.
After being outscored in the first 3 games by an 11-4 margin, the Oilers have outpaced the Panthers 8-5 in the past 3 outings, and now Edmonton goes for the reverse sweep.
The last time the Stanley Cup Final was decided in 7 games was 2019, when the St. Louis Blues went on the road to top the Boston Bruins. Prior to that, the Bruins won in 7 games in 2011 against the Vancouver Canucks. The home team is 7-2 in the past 9 Stanley Cup Final Game 7s dating back to 1971.
The Under has cashed at an 8-0-1 pace in the past 9 Game 7s in a Stanley Cup Final, and there have been 5 or fewer goals in 14 consecutive Game 7s in the final round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The last time we had more than 5 goals in a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final was a 4-3 victory by the Detroit Red Wings over the New York Rangers in 2OT April 23, 1950.
Oilers at Panthers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:56 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Oilers -110 (bet $110 to win $100) | Panthers -110 (bet $110 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Oilers +1.5 (-275) | Panthers -1.5 (+220)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5 (O: -160 | U: +120)
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Oilers at Panthers projected goalies
Stuart Skinner (14-8-0, 2.47 GAA, .901 SV%, 1 SO — 2024 playoffs) vs. Sergei Bobrovsky (15-8-0, 2.38 GAA, .903 SV%, 2 SO — 2024 playoffs)
Skinner turned aside 20 of the 21 shots he faced in Game 6 in Edmonton, and he has allowed just 5 goals on 86 shots, good for a 1.67 GAA and .942 SV% in the 3 victories.
Bobrovsky has dropped 3 straight starts in the postseason for the first time, and he has allowed 3 or more goals in 4 consecutive starts. He is a dismal 0-3-0 with a 5.06 GAA and .793 SV%.
It’s rather unusual, but Bobrovsky was not on the ice for practice Sunday. Coach Paul Maurice said it was an attempt to get Bobrovsky back into rhythm, as he did not practice on the day before games earlier in the playoffs.
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Oilers at Panthers picks and predictions
Prediction
Oilers 2, Panthers 1
Moneyline
The OILERS (-110) are worth a look in Game 7, as they look to complete the reverse sweep after falling into an 0-3 series hole. Edmonton is looking to become the first team since the Toronto Maple Leafs erased an 0-3 series deficit in the 1945 Stanley Cup Final.
Skinner, the 25-year-old Edmonton native, has allowed just 5 goals in the past 3 games. This could potentially be the first game of the series to be decided in overtime, but all of the momentum is on Edmonton’s side right now.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Oilers +1.5 (-275) will set you back nearly 3 times your potential return, if you just don’t believe Edmonton can complete the historic comeback and you need a little bit of insurance instead.
The Panthers -1.5 (+220) can’t be trusted, though, as they haven’t won by 2 or more goals since Game 2.
PASS.
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Over/Under
UNDER 5 (+120) is a solid value at plus-money.
Yes, the Over has cashed in each of the past 4 games, including 3 elimination games for the Oilers. But, we haven’t seen an Over result in 14 consecutive Games 7s in the Stanley Cup Final dating back to 1950, when the Red Wings and Rangers combined for 7 goals in a 2OT classic.
With powerful offenses and solid power-play units on both sides, playing an Under with such a low number is risky, but historically, scoring is at a premium in a Game 7 to decided a champion, and that’s 74 years of history you’d be going against with an Over play.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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