Edmonton (3-3) at Florida (3-3)
When: Monday, June 24th 2024
Where: Amerant Bank Arena,
Sunrise, FL
Time: 8:20 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Florida -114/5.5
There aren’t many events in sports better than a Game 7 of an NHL Playoff series. The only thing it can make it better is a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and that’s exactly what we have on Monday night in Sunrise, Fla. The Edmonton Oilers are trying to make history, while the Florida Panthers are seeking their first championship in their 30-year existence.
This will be the 18th Game 7 in Stanley Cup Finals history, but the first in 79 years to feature a team that has come back from a 3-0 series deficit. The Oilers are trying to become the first team since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs to complete that comeback.
Florida is a slight -110 home favorite in Monday’s Game 7 with a total pegged at 5.5. The last four games have gone Over the total, but a lot of sharps are taking the Under, which is juiced at -150. The public is riding the Oilers and Over right now. Edmonton is receiving 65% of moneyline bets, while the Over is at 72%.
The only other futures market left to decide is the Conn Smythe Trophy. But in reality, it seems to have already been decided. Connor McDavid is now a massive -3000 favorite to win it regardless of the outcome of Monday’s Game 7.
EDMONTON OILERS
The Oilers’ 5-1 win in Game 6 featured five different players scoring a goal, and none came from McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Warren Foegele, Adam Henrique and Zach Hyman put the Oilers up 3-0 entering the third period and Ryan McLeod and Darnell Nurse put the icing on the cake with empty-netters. Stuart Skinner continues to shine, stopping 20 of 21 shots faced.
McDavid’s 42 points (8G, 34A) is fourth-most in NHL history and he’s averaging 1.83 points per game in the playoffs. Draisaitl has just three assists in the series, but he’s still third in playoff scoring with 31 points (10G, 21A). McDavid and Draisaitl each have four points in Edmonton’s three series-clinching games this postseason. Ryan Nugent Hopkins, who has 22 points (7G, 15A) in 24 postseason games, missed Sunday’s practice with an illness, but is expected to play Game 7.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
Aleksander Barkov, who scored the Panthers’ lone goal in Game 6, is the only player with a shot at winning the Conn Smythe (+1400) over McDavid. Barkov’s 22 points (8G, 14A) ties him for the team lead with Matthew Tkachuk (6G, 16A). Florida’s power play went 0-for-3 on Friday and is now a dismal 1-for-19 in the series with two short-handed goals against.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 16 saves on 19 shots in Game 6 and is clearly struggling. Also, he missed Sunday’s practice, but it was listed as a maintenance day. From Games 1 to 3, Bobrovsky’s save percentage was .953, but only .793 in Games 4 to 6. The Panthers have been outscored by 13 goals over the last three games and given up the first goal in all three games.
The Panthers need to generate some offense other than Barkov. Tkachuk has just two points in the series, while Sam Reinhart only has a goal and two assists. Carter Verhaeghe, who had 34 goals during the regular season, has been limited to one goal with a minus-9 rating.
Prediction:
No surprise here. I’ve gone with Edmonton in every game this series and I’m not stopping now. They have too much momentum and are under Bobvrosky’s skin. The Oilers offense was terrific in Game 6 without really any contributions from the best skill players. Skinner is 10-0 all-time in Games 4 thru 7 of a series and 5-0 when facing elimination. Let’s go Oilers!
