Not many thought there would be a Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final after the Panthers raced out to a 3-0 lead, but the Oilers have found their scoring touch. Our NHL betting picks see many more pucks beating the goalies before all is said and done.
This article contains predictions for an old game!
Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers are right back in it after two thrilling victories to stay alive in Games 4 and 5. The Florida Panthers will have a third chance to close out the Stanley Cup Final, this time on Friday night in Edmonton.
Edmonton has outscored Florida 13-4 over the past two games, with McDavid putting up four points in each contest. The Oilers superstar has his team right back in it with a chance to force Game 7 after falling behind 3-0.
How will things shake out in Game 6? Read on for our early Panthers vs. Oilers predictions and NHL picks for Game 6 on Friday, June 21.
My best bet
Over 5.5 (-110 at Sports Interaction)
My analysis
The Stanley Cup Final is heating up after a low-scoring start. The Florida Panthers outscored the Edmonton Oilers 7-1 en route to a 2-0 series lead, but Edmonton has been able to solve Cats netminder Sergei Bobrovsky over the last three contests. The Oilers hold a 16-8 advantage over the last three games with each game seeing 7+ goals.
The goals haven’t been fluky, either. After 5.59 expected goals in Game 1 and just 3.88 in Game 2, we’ve seen 7.95, 8.45, and 6.24 expected goals in the last three contests, per Natural Stat Trick. The ice has opened up at 5-on-5 and the referees haven’t put the whistles away, resulting in the Oilers lighting the lamp on both the power play and penalty kill.
It’s not surprising to see this line still set at 5.5, but the only way to bet it is to take the Over. Edmonton has played its game to perfection over the last two contests to get right back into the series and Florida’s discipline has gone out the window. The Oilers have had 11 power plays in the last two games after just 10 in the first three games of the series.
The Oilers are going to keep the pressure on and continue to counterattack against the Panthers. Edmonton should be able to control the pace of the game on home ice and the Oilers don’t mind a high-flying game when they have the speedy Connor McDavid on their side.
My best bet
Connor McDavid Over 1.5 points (-143 at Sports Interaction)
Is there any other option? The Oilers superstar has found another gear in these playoffs with 42 points in 23 games. That’s a nearly 150-point pace for a full 82-game season. He’s even taken it up another notch with eight points in his last two games and 10 over his last three.
McDavid has also been an absolute menace on home ice in the postseason. He’s gone Over 1.5 points in six straight games at Rogers Place with 25 total points in 11 home games as opposed to 17 points in 12 road games.
The Panthers haven’t had an answer for McDavid, who has a strong case in the Conn Smythe Trophy odds even in a losing effort. He’ll do everything he can to force a Game 7, and I wouldn’t hate taking him to record 3+ points at +250.
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Ryan Gilbert brings the passion and pain of being a Philadelphia sports fan. After graduating from Monmouth University with a finance degree, he now uses his statistical background to find inefficiencies in betting markets. With past stops at NHL.com, NBC Sports, and currently at Covers, Ryan’s hot picks blend well with the cold ice of a hockey rink.
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