A Stanley Cup Final rematch for the ages is set to begin on Wednesday night when the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers go to war for the second straight year.
The Panthers took an early 3-0 series lead last year, but the Oilers stormed back, winning three-straight games to force a Game 7. Unfortunately for Edmonton, Florida edged out the Oilers in Game 7 to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Now, the two teams are back in the final, ready for a rematch. Let's dive into the odds and my best bets for Game 1.
Panthers vs. Oilers Odds, Puck Line, and Total for Game 1
Puck Line
- Panthers +1.5 (-225)
- Oilers -1.5 (+185)
Moneyline
- Panthers +110
- Oilers -130
Total
- 6 (Over -120/Under +100)
Panthers vs. Oilers How to Watch Game 1
- Date: Wednesday, June 4
- Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
- Venue: Rogers Place
- How to Watch (TV): TNT/truTV/Max
- Series: Tied 0-0
Panthers vs. Oilers Starting Goalies Game 1
- Florida: Sergei Bobrovsky (.912 SV% in playoffs)
- Edmonton: Stuart Skinner (.904 SV% in playoffs)
Panthers vs. Oilers Best Prop Bet for Game 1
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Anytime Goal (+275) via BetMGM
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been fantastic for the Oilers in the playoffs, which is a big reason why they're back in the Cup Final. At 6.6 expected goals, Nugent-Hopkins has the eighth-highest expected goals of all players in the playoffs and the second most, behind only Connor McDavid, on the Oilers. At +275 odds, he seems like a great bet to find the back of the net in Game 1.
Panthers vs. Oilers Prediction and Pick
I'm on the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup Final, which naturally leads me to believe they'll win Game 1 on their home ice.
Stuart Skinner has been fantastic since returning to the starting job between the pipes, allowing more than one goal just twice in his last seven starts. If he starts this series off on the right foot, the Oilers are going to be tough to beat on their home ice.
The Oilers have been great when playing in Edmonton in the postseason, going 6-1 on their home ice. Their only loss came in a 4-3 decision against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of their second-round series.
From an X's and O's perspective, the Panthers got off to a hot start against the Oilers in last year's final due to their aggressive counter-attack completely throwing the Oilers off their game. Once Edmonton figured out how to counter the counter-attack, the series flipped on its head. I expect the Oilers to be much better prepared this time around.
Pick: Oilers -130
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Panthers vs. Oilers Prediction, Odds, Best NHL Prop Bet for Stanley Cup Final Game 1.