The Panthers are on the brink of making history.
Following a 5-2 victory in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, Florida is one win away from becoming the 10th franchise in the history of the NHL to be repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
The feat has only happened twice this century, with the Pittsburgh Penguins going back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning a few years later in 2020 and 2021.
In order to keep their season alive, the Oilers will need to win on the road in Game 6, the same arena where they lost Game 7 one year ago when the Panthers won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Will the Panthers get the job done, or can the Oilers force a winner-take-all Game 7 on home ice on Friday night in Edmonton?
Here are the betting odds heading into Game 6, including our analysis on the spread, total and moneyline prediction for Game 6 between Panthers and Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final:
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, June 17:
Outside of the three games that went beyond regulation and into either overtime or double overtime in the Stanley Cup Final, there’s been two lopsided outcomes with Florida winning both.
Florida took Game 3 with a 6-1 victory and the aforementioned Game 5 three goal win over the weekend.
With their season on the line, you’d anticipate that the Oilers are ready to lay everything on the line just to get to Game 7 on Friday night at Rogers Place.
I just don’t believe they’ll have enough to get it done here, as the Panthers win Game 6 by multiple goals and cover the -1.5 puck line for the fifth time at home this season.
Prediction: Panthers -1.5 (+165)
If there’s been one thing that’s been consistent in this series, it’s been the puck continuously finding the back of the net.
There’s been seven or more goals in all five games, meaning the over has hit in every game of the Stanley Cup Final so far.
At this point, it’s just how these teams play one another.
Including the two head-to-head matchups during the regular season and last year’s Stanley Cup Final, the total has gone over the line in 10 of the last 14 meetings, including seven straight.
If we get to a Game 7, I’d imagine it would be similar to last year’s where there were just three total goals in the game.
But I’m banking on it not getting that far, as a Panthers’ offensive onslaught leads the way in the total going over for a sixth consecutive game in the Stanley Cup Final.
Prediction: Over 6.5 goals (+100)
There’s no doubt what the Oilers have done in these playoffs so far is impressive. Beating the Kings and Stars for a second consecutive year and taking down the Golden Knights — the 2023 Stanley Cup champions — in only five games in the second round shows how great this Edmonton team is led by two of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
However, they just have run into the wrong team at the wrong time in the Panthers.
They’re just inevitable.
After losing to the Golden Knights in five games on the game’s biggest stage two years ago, the Panthers are just visibly in a class of their own.
Just like the Lightning — who went to three straight Stanley Cups and won two of them — Florida’s reign will have to end at some point likely in the near future with how successful the franchise has been in the past three years.
But that time isn’t now, as the Panthers will reach the pinnacle of the sport yet again, cruising to a dominant victory in Game 6 and joining that elite list of teams that have won the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons and celebrating with the Stanley Cup in front of their home crowd for a second straight year.
The best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final is back in Sunrise with Game 6 in Florida, with puck drop coming shortly after 8 p.m. on Tuesday night from Amerant Bank Arena.
Watch Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final Game 6 live on Sling
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, June 17
Panthers: -350 (Bet $350 to win $100)
Oilers: +280 (Bet $100 to win $280)
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, June 17
Sam Bennett (Panthers): -220
Brad Marchand (Panthers): +375
Connor McDavid (Oilers) and Leon Draisaitl (Oilers): +750
Sergei Bobrovsky (Panthers): 125/1 (+12500)
Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers), Aleksander Barkov (Panthers), Sam Reinhart (Panthers) and Carter Verhaeghe (Panthers): 250/1 (+25000)
Evan Bouchard (Oilers): 500/1 (+50000)
Stuart Skinner (Oilers): 1000/1 (+100000)
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