The percentages might hardly be tighter for the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Closing.
The Oilers are a nominal -120 favourite over the Panthers to raise Lord Stanley’s mug, however that is primarily a decide ’em, a coin flip, a 50/50 matchup between acquainted foes for all of the marbles.
Whenever you get to this a part of the playoffs, it’s arduous to poke holes in both crew. It’s fairly a feat to make it this far, so that you’re most likely doing nearly every part proper.
However there are a few benefits that time to at least one aspect of this matchup.
Essentially the most obtrusive edge is in purpose, the place the Panthers will really feel way more snug with their setup than the Oilers, even when Stuart Skinner has rebounded after a disastrous begin to the playoffs.
Sergei Bobrovsky has been regular as she goes for the Cats for the third straight postseason, posting a .912 save share and a plus-8.5 Objectives Saved Above Anticipated in 17 contests.
The 36-year-old Russian is the second favourite behind Connor McDavid to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Skinner deserves loads of credit score for his exceptional turnaround, however it is a acquainted tune out of the Alberta native. He’s extremely streaky and will fall off the boil with out warning.
The opposite issue that tilts the scales towards the Cats is their journey to get up to now.
That is the third journey to the Stanley Cup Closing in as a few years for Paul Maurice’s Panthers.
After shedding to Vegas in 2023, the Cats outlasted the Oilers in a traditional one 12 months in the past. That collection noticed Florida race out to a 3-0 lead, just for Edmonton to storm again and drive a Recreation 7.
The Panthers would eke out a 2-1 win within the finale, incomes them their first Stanley Cup.
The purpose is, these Panthers have seen all of it.
There isn’t a scenario you could throw at them that they received’t be capable of deal with.
That’s what makes them such an intriguing opponent for the Oilers. Edmonton has overwhelmed all people that’s been in its path this postseason, however these opponents clearly turned shaken up after McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and firm wrested management of their collection.
Edmonton misplaced its first two video games of the Stanley Cup playoffs, solely to win 12 of its subsequent 14. As soon as the 18-wheeler acquired rolling, everybody acquired out of the way in which.
The Oilers received’t discover it really easy towards the Panthers.
If Edmonton races out to an early lead on this collection, Florida received’t panic. The Panthers erased a 2-0 deficit in Spherical 2 towards the Maple Leafs, and famously wiped away a 3-1 deficit towards the record-setting Bruins in Spherical 1 of the 2023 playoffs.
And the Panthers received’t fret in the event that they’re those who get a lead and cough it up, as a result of they did that towards the Oilers in final 12 months’s Closing, and misplaced Recreation 6 towards the Maple Leafs at residence in Spherical 2 this 12 months, solely to reply with a dominant win on the highway in Recreation 7.
We all know Edmonton has been very good at getting issues to go their approach in these playoffs, however they’re developing towards a crew that’s masterful at discovering methods to win when you recognize what hits the fan.
Betting on the NHL?
That makes the Panthers value a guess to repeat at +110 odds.
PICK: Panthers win the Stanley Cup (+110, Caesars Sportsbook)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, however a long-profiting sports activities bettor with 10 years of expertise within the playing trade. He loves utilizing sport idea to assist punters win bracket swimming pools, discover lengthy photographs, and learn to beat the market in mainstream and area of interest sports activities.
