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Panthers Poised to Finish Off Oilers in Game 5 Lift Stanley Cup
No matter how many goals they surrendered, the Florida Panthers are still just one home-ice victory away from a Stanley Cup when the Edmonton Oilers visit for Game 5 of the best-of-seven series on Tuesday.
The Panthers will be the favorite in the NHL odds after suffering an 8-1 defeat in Game 4 and giving up 10 goals over the last 80 minutes of action. Florida was tied for the least goals allowed in the regular season and should find its top form again.
The Oilers will arrive after the 2,541-mile trip to Sunrise, Fla., with plenty of confidence, though. Connor McDavid posted a goal and three assists in Game 4 and the Panthers will have to find ways to slow him down.
Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 78 of 80 shots he faced the first eight periods of the series, but has looked mortal since. However, he gave up five goals in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers and responded by allowing six in his next five outings.
Expect a tighter game with the over/under set at 5 ½ goals at BetUS sportsbook.
Oilers vs Panthers Game Information
- Game: Oilers (1-3) vs Panthers (3-1)
- Location: Amerant Arena, Sunrise, Fla.
- Day/Time: Tuesday, June 18, 8:00 p.m. ET
- Oilers vs Panthers Live Streaming: NHL.com
Oilers vs Panthers Odds and Spreads
Oilers vs Panthers Betting Trends
- Florida had won five straight against the Oilers until Saturday’s debacle.
- Edmonton left wing Zach Hyman leads the playoffs with 14 goals, but has not scored in the series.
- Both penalty-killing units have shined in the series. The Oilers are 15-for-16 and the Panthers 12-for-13.
- Florida has only hit the game total over in 29 of its last 88 contests if you bet online.
- Edmonton has hit the game total under in 28 of its last 42 away games.
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McDavid Trying to Carry Oilers
The superstar center took the lead in Game 4, having a part in four straight goals as Edmonton pulled away for its first Cup Finals win since 2006.
“He just keeps on making plays, scoring goals, getting assists,” Oilers coach Kris Knobluach said of McDavid, who has seven points in the series. “A great performance. And at the right time.”
McDavid boasts 32 assists, passing Wayne Gretzky for the most-ever in a single postseason run. The 27-year-old also has six goals.
Connor McDavid led the charge by factoring on four of eight @EdmontonOilers goals tonight and boosted his 2024 #StanleyCup Playoffs totals to 6-32—38.#NHLStats: https://t.co/ZOu9GLl9u6 pic.twitter.com/TIIF2dl7Re
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 16, 2024
Can Florida stop him? The Panthers will be able to match up against McDavid’s line with Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on home ice. McDavid is now +650 in the NHL future odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Expect Florida’s top defensive pair of Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad, along with center Aleksander Barkov, to be on the ice against McDavid as much as possible.
Panthers Licking Their Wounds After Game 4 Debacle
In a lot of ways, a seven-goal loss is easier to look past than an overtime defeat.
Florida was under siege from the beginning on Saturday night. The Panthers drew within a goal midway through the first period, but Dylan Holloway scored the first of his two goals a little over three minutes later and the Oilers were on their way.
“We’re up 3-1,” Florida center Kevin Stenlund told reporters. “We lost one game. That’s hockey. It’s the Stanley Cup Final. It’s going to be hard. We’re excited to get home.”
The Panthers have lost three games at home in the playoffs, but were able to win with both defense and offense in the first two of this series. Vladimir Tarasenko scored in back-to-back games for the Panthers, but others need to be heard from.
Matthew Tkachuk has one point in four games for Florida and Carter Verhaeghe does not have a point since scoring the first goal of the series. The Panthers have lived on their balanced offense and someone must step up to end Edmonton’s hopes.
Maurice: “It was the first opportunity that we’ve had as a franchise to feel the two days [before a clinching game], the excitement of it, the emotion of it. We’ll learn how to channel that. That’s all part of this process.”
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) June 16, 2024
History on Side of Panthers
The previous 28 teams that owned a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Cup final, 27 went on to win the series.
The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs rallied from 3-0 down to beat the Detroit Red Wings, and the Oilers are aiming to make history. You will get large odds for your NHL betting if that happens (+800).
“I’m sure outside, the belief starts to grow a little bit, but we’re just focused on one game,” Hyman told reporters. “And we bought ourselves another couple days here.”
Florida has allowed one goal in each of the final games of the previous three series. Another effort like that and the Panthers might get their first Cup.
But Edmonton does have the support of Canadian superstar Shania Twain.
#Oilers
Shania Twain hits the Oilers dressing room… pic.twitter.com/aV8Ct3UiOZ— X-JESSE (@97OrangeCrush29) June 16, 2024
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Questions Of The Day
What team has more shots on goal in the series?
Edmonton. The Oilers have outshot the Panthers 121-103.
Who leads the Panthers in scoring during the postseason?
Barkov. The 28-year-old has seven goals and 14 assists in the playoffs.
