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The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers meet Friday night in Game 6 of their best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers lead the series 3-2. Puck drop from Rogers Place in Edmonton is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Panthers vs. Oilers odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Panthers are hoping the 3rd time is a charm. After building a 3-0 series lead, Florida has dropped the past 2 games as Edmonton has made this a series again.
The Panthers outscored the Oilers 11-4 in the 1st 3 games, while Edmonton was 0-for-10 on the power play. The Oilers have started to generate some offense on the man advantage, going 1-for-6 in Game 4, an 8-1 victory in Edmonton, and 2-for-5 in Game 5, a 5-3 win in Florida.
Connor McDavid put the Oilers on his back in Game 5, posting 2 goals and 4 points, and he has 3 straight multi-point performances in the past 3 outings, going for 3 goals and 10 points with a plus-5 rating and 3 helpers on the power play. In these playoffs, he has 8 goals and 42 points, smashing Wayne Gretzky’s previous record for assists in a postseason (31, 1988).
The Oilers are trying to force a Game 7 and become only the 2nd team in NHL history to erase an 0-3 hole to win the Stanley Cup Final. The Toronto Maple Leafs did it in 1942, stunning the Detroit Red Wings.
Panthers at Oilers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:09 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Panthers +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Oilers -120 (bet $120 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Panthers +1.5 (-250) | Oilers -1.5 (+200)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Panthers at Oilers projected goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky (15-7-0, 2.35 GAA, .906 SV%, 2 SO — 2024 playoffs) vs. Stuart Skinner (13-8-0, 2.54 GAA, .898 SV%, 1 SO — 2024 playoffs)
Bobrovsky was a machine for most of these playoffs, but he has allowed 3 or more goals in 3 straight games, including 9 goals in the past 2 outings on just 39 shots.
It’s the most goals allowed in a 2-game span since allowing 9 goals in Games 3 and 4 of the 1st-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. And it’s the 1st time he has allowed 3 or more goals in 3 straight starts since Jan. 13-19.
Skinner has allowed just 4 goals on 65 shots in the past 2 games, and he has allowed 3 or fewer goals in 7 of his past 8 appearances since Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars.
It’s Skinner’s 1st time with 29 or more saves in consecutive games since Feb. 26-28 during the regular season.
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Panthers at Oilers picks and predictions
Prediction
Oilers 4, Panthers 3
Moneyline
The OILERS (-120) have the best player in the world, and McDavid is single-handedly carrying his team from the worst depths to the verge of forcing a decisive Game 7. It’s been a historic comeback, but there is still a long way to go.
Still, the fact this game is in Edmonton is a good sign. The Oilers offense has come alive with 16 goals in the past 3 games, including 13 in the previous 2 outings, after managing just a single goal in the 1st 2 games in Florida.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Panthers +1.5 (-250) will cost you 2 1/2 times your potential return, and that’s way too much risk for not enough reward if you need some insurance.
PASS.
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Over/Under
OVER 5.5 (-115) is a strong play in Game 6.
Normally, as a series goes along, we see the offense tighten up, the goaltenders reign supreme, and the offense go into a bit of a dormant period. But this series, we’ve seen at least 7 goals in each of the past 3 outings after an average of just 3.5 goals per game in the first 2 installments. Keep striking while the iron is hot.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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