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The Florida Panthers will battle the Edmonton Oilers on Monday in Alberta, Canada. It's a Stanley Cup rematch as we share our NHL odds series and make a Panthers-Oilers prediction and pick.
This will be the first meeting between the Oilers and Panthers since the Game 7 game that decided last year's champion. After the Panthers won the first three games of the series, the Oilers forced a Game 7 with three consecutive wins.
Here are the Panthers-Oilers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Panthers-Oilers Odds
Florida Panthers: +1.5 (-220)
Moneyline: +115
Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+176)
Moneyline: -138
Over: 6.5 (+110)
Under: 6.5 (-134)
How To Watch Panthers vs Oilers
Time: 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT
TV: NHL Network and Scripps
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Panthers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Panthers have kept most of their Stanley Cup core intact. Yet, that has not stopped the Sam Bennett trade rumors, as numerous teams have inquired about him, and he is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Bennett remains a Panther, for now, and will be with the team when they visit Rogers Place for the first time since their big Game 6 loss forced a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup.
The defending champions have not played as well recently. Unfortunately, they have been on the wrong end of a shutout in two consecutive games. The offense is not gelling during this road trip and has been blanked by two Canadian teams.
Matthew Tkachuk apparently was heating up with five goals and six assists over the first three games of the month. Unfortunately, the struggles have returned, as Tkachuk has been pointless over his past three games. Tkachuk had one goal and three assists over nine total games against the Oilers last season, showcasing how the Oilers contained him. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist in Game 7 to help the Cats win the Stanley Cup.
Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was one of the significant reasons why the Panthers won the Stanley Cup. Amazingly, his performance in the final game helped the Cats seal their first title. Bobrovsky needs his defense to step up and close the shooting lanes to prevent Edmonton from getting too many opportunities.
The Panthers will cover the spread if they can spring out to an early lead and get their legs going to avoid falling behind the eight ball. Then, they need to avoid taking penalties and not let the best player in the NHL get easy shots.
Why the Oilers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Oilers have circled this game on their calendar. After their awful Game 7 loss, the Oilers have attempted to make their long journey back to the Stanley Cup.
Leon Draisaitl was one of the players who did not show up during the Final, registering just three assists throughout the entire series. Therefore, the Oilers will need much more from him to have a chance to beat the Panthers. Connor McDavid continues to be the best player in the NHL. While he had a historic postseason, his Game-7 performance saw him go missing. McDavid won the Conn Smythe trophy after that great postseason but felt empty without finishing the job. The Oilers have struggled on offense this season whenever McDavid and Draisaitl have not scored. Unfortunately, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman have been underperformed. The Oilers need them both to step up to give this team a chance.
Stuart Skinner will be in the next and will attempt to play razor-sharp against an offense that can still put up numerous goals. Also, the defense in front of him must converge on Tkachuk and the rest of this offense.
Final Panthers-Oilers Prediction & Pick
The Panthers are 15-16 against the spread, while the Oilers are 12-18 against the odds. Moreover, the Panthers are 7-9 against the spread on the road, while the Oilers are 5-11 against the odds at home. The Panthers are 18-13 against the over/under, while the Oilers are 13-14-3 against the over/under. When they played in the Stanley Cup, the Panthers were 5-2 against the spread. Additionally, they combined for over 6.5 goals on three occasions.
Aleksander Barkov did not play on Saturday due to illness. However, the issues with the Panthers go far beyond him. They have struggled to get good shots against teams over this road trip. Also, they have fallen behind too often. I see the struggles continuing here as they face a team that has the motivation to avenge a heartbreaking loss. The Panthers will cover the spread at home against the Oilers, avenging their loss.
Final Panthers-Oilers Prediction & Pick: Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+176)
