Panthers vs Oilers Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Preview, Picks
Jake Burkey
Host · Writer
It’s a Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers, just one year after the Panthers won their first-ever championship in franchise history, knocking off the Oilers in Game 7. This year feels different, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the Oilers squad coming in hungrier than ever. They have one thing on their minds: revenge.
GAME 1: Florida Panthers (+110) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-132)
When: Wednesday, June 4 at 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Where: TNT, TruTV, Max
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the odds favor the Edmonton Oilers, the home team, which isn’t surprising, considering their 6–1 home record in the playoffs. However, one thing that’s not getting enough attention is the Florida Panthers’ away record this postseason. They are an impressive 8–2 on the road, but will it continue tonight in Edmonton?
The Edmonton Oilers will be without forward Zach Hyman as he underwent season-ending surgery for an upper-body injury. Jeff Skinner has been called upon as the replacement. The 33-year-old veteran made his first postseason appearance this year, looking to win his first cup in his first playoff run.
Special Teams:
The Panthers will be facing off against one of the NHL’s most dangerous power plays in Edmonton, but the Panthers aren’t lacking offensive weapons. Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk, and Carter Verhaeghe have each scored three power-play goals, tying for the team lead in that category. Florida’s man-advantage success goes deeper than just those three, with six players having found the net with the extra skater during the postseason. They’ve been especially lethal on the road, converting at an NHL-best 42.9% clip away from home in these playoffs.
Goaltending:
The Florida Panthers’ goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky, has had his stamina on full display this postseason, improving his performance in each successive round. In the Eastern Conference Final against the Hurricanes, he went 4–1 while recording a stellar .935 save percentage, a 1.69 goals-against average, and one shutout. The Oilers’ Stuart Skinner’s playoff journey has been a tale of two halves. In his first six games, he gave up four goals in four separate outings, but with two shutouts. However, he found his rhythm in the Western Conference Final against the Stars, finishing with a .924 save percentage, a 2.01 goals-against average, and a shutout in a 4–1 series win.
Who has the edge in goaltending? The Florida Panthers, and it’s not close.
My Favorite Prop: Connor McDavid 3+ Points (+310)
Although the Florida Panthers’ road record is hard to bet against, the momentum this Oilers team has carried up to this point, led by McDavid, is too strong. The Oilers are a much faster team than the Florida Panthers. McDavid and Draisaitl will surely put together a strong series, particularly in transition and on the power play. The Oilers are the hungrier team of the two, and as they strive for a different outcome than the previous year. Expect them to seize the moment and use the electricity inside their home barn to propel them over the Panthers in Game 1 tonight.
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