After two days off, the Stanley Cup Final is set to resume on Thursday night when the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers face-off in Game 3 with the Panthers holding a 2-0 series lead.
If you're looking for some bets to place for tonight's game, you've come to the right place. I have a bet locked in on the side, total, and a player prop. Let's jump right into them.
I'm going to bet the Oilers to get the job done and keep this series alive. They have been fantastic on their home ice throughout the postseason with a 6-3 record and an average goal differential of +0.99 per game. We've already seen they can dominate the Panthers between the blue lines. Despite losing Game 1, they were the better team from start to finish and had the advanced metrics heavily in their favor.
If they can repeat their Game 1 performance and find a way to pop a few goals, they'll be in a great spot to win tonight.
UNDER 5.5 (-115)
I've bet the UNDER in the first two games and I see no reason to back away from that. It's hit in both games and the advanced metrics so far this series have supported the idea both teams are playing a defensive style of hockey.
The Oilers have an expected goals mark of 2.4 per 60 minutes while the Panthers are at 2.33 per 60 minutes. That's a combined expected goals of just 4.73 per game, well below the set total for Game 3 of 5.5. Both teams are also averaging fewer than 10 high-danger scoring chances per game.
Connor McDavid OVER 3.5 shots on goal (-105)
Big players make big plays in big game and that's what I expect from Connor McDavid tonight. He has recorded at least five shots in four of his last six games and he needs to put his team on his back tonight if he wants to get them back in this series.
I'll bet him to record at least four shots on goal tonight.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
The Florida Panthers head to Edmonton with a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers are in a near must-win situation in tonight's Game 3, in danger of falling down 0-3.
The Oilers have been fantastic on their home ice throughout the playoffs. Will that trend continue tonight?
Let's dive into everything you need to know to bet on tonight's game.
Connor McDavid: Great players step up in big moments and this might just be the biggest moment of Connor McDavid's career. He needs to drag his team to a Game 3 win and scoring just one goal as a team through the first two games is unacceptable. The Oilers turnaround in this series starts with him.
Florida Panthers
Sergei Bobrovsky: The Panthers' goalie has stepped up in a big way in this series, allowing just one goal through the first two games. If he continues playing at this level, the Oilers have no chance in this series could be over before the end of the weekend.
I've bet the UNDER in the first two games and I see no reason to back away from that. It's hit in both games and the advanced metrics so far this series have supported the idea both teams are playing a defensive style of hockey.
The Oilers have an expected goals mark of 2.4 per 60 minutes while the Panthers are at 2.33 per 60 minutes. That's a combined expected goals of just 4.73 per game, well below the set total for Game 3 of 5.5. Both teams are also averaging fewer than 10 high-danger scoring chances per game.
If you want a bet for the side, I'd recommend the Oilers. They have been fantastic on their home ice throughout the postseason with a 6-3 record and an average goal differential of +0.99 per game. It's desperation time for Edmonton and I expect the Oilers' stars to come through in impressive fashion.
Picks: Oilers -138 and UNDER 5.5 (-118)
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
The Florida Panthers have proven a major headache for the Edmonton Oilers thus far in the Stanley Cup Final.
First, Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky dominated Game 1 as Florida scored a 3-0 shutout win. Then, a big third period from center Evan Rodrigues paced the Panthers in Game 2.
Ahead of Game 3 Thursday in Edmonton, drastic measures appear to have been placed on the table. Among them: diverting Florida's team plane from Edmonton, as Canadian air traffic controllers joked about doing Wednesday.
"I've got about a two-hour hold for you, or whatever it would take that you'd be low enough on fuel that you'll have to divert from Edmonton," a controller said over the radio in audio posted by Andy Slater of WMEN-AM in Royal Palm Beach, Fla. "Mention it to your passengers, maybe they'll figure it out."
NEW: Florida Panthers pilots were jokingly told by a Canadian air traffic controller to run low on fuel so the team wouldn’t be able land in Edmonton.
Pilots from other flights join in on the conversation.
Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final is one of the most exhilarating scenes in sports, and NHL fans will certainly be hoping to see the championship clash between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers go the distance this year.
Throughout Stanley Cup Playoff history, seven-game series have been a fairly regular occurrence. Since 1939, when the NHL adopted the best-of-seven format, there have been 196 game sevens. Included in that tally is 17 in the Stanley Cup Final, and seven since the turn of the century.
We'll take a look at each of the 17 seven-game series in Stanley Cup Final history:
YEAR
MATCHUP
1942
Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 3–1
1945
Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 2–1
1950
Detroit Red Wings def. New York Rangers, 4–3 (2OT)
1954
Detroit Red Wings def. Montreal Canadiens, 2–1 (OT)
1955
Detroit Red Wings def. Montreal Canadiens, 3–1
1964
Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4–0
1965
Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Black Hawks, 4–0
1971
Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Black Hawks, 3–2
1987
Edmonton Oilers def. Philadelphia Flyers, 3–1
1994
New York Rangers def. Vancouver Canucks, 3–2
2001
Colorado Avalanche def. New Jersey Devils, 3–1
2003
New Jersey Devils def. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 3–0
2004
Tampa Bay Lightning def. Calgary Flames, 2–1
2006
Carolina Hurricanes def. Edmonton Oilers, 3–1
2009
Pittsburgh Penguins def. Detroit Red Wings, 2–1
2011
Boston Bruins def. Vancouver Canucks, 4–0
2019
St. Louis Blues def. Boston Bruins, 4–1
The last time the Stanley Cup Final went the distance was in 2019, when the St. Louis Blues defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 7, 4–1, courtesy of goals from Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Schenn and Zach Sanford.
Of the 17 winner-take-all games since 1939 in the Stanley Cup Final, only twice has the game-winning goal occurred in overtime. Both of the two overtime goals were scored by the Detroit Red Wings, in 1950 and '54, respectively. The Red Wings were involved in each of the first six Game 7s under the current format of the Stanley Cup Final, winning three of them.
The Edmonton Oilers will be without one of their key forwards for the remainder of Monday's Game 2 against the Florida Panthers after a bad attempt at a hit from Warren Foegele resulted in a worrisome injury to Eetu Luostarinen.
Foegele attempted to land a hit onto Luostarinen in the open ice, but misfired and ended up sticking his leg out in a desparate attempt to clip the Panthers' forward. In doing so, their legs made direct contact, and Luostarinen remained on the ground in pain after the collision before being helped off the ice. He was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was skated to the locker room.
Warren Foegele received a major penalty and a game misconduct for kneeing Luostarinen pic.twitter.com/if2eB5gSvv
Officials gathered and reviewed the play before determining that Foegele would be hit with a five-minute major penalty for kneeing, as well as a game misconduct which put an early end to his evening.
With Foegele ejected, Dylan Holloway served the five-minute penalty in his stead.
The absence of Foegele will be a significant loss for Edmonton as they look to even up the series in Game 2. The left winger provided 41 points across 82 games this season, scoring a career-high 20 goals. He has three points including one goal during the postseason.
Luostarinen was able to return late into the first period.
The 2024 Stanley Cup Final is set to get underway on Saturday, with the Florida Panthers seeking the franchise's first ever championship, while the Edmonton Oilers look to clinch their first title since 1990.
For the Oilers, Connor McDavid will look to open his Stanley Cup Final goalscoring tally, having yet to feature in the big game throughout his esteemed nine-year career. He'll have plenty of work to do if he's looking to catch some of the sport's longtime record holders.
So, it stands to reason that the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer in the Stanley Cup Finals, most of them, in fact, come from the Habs.
Canadiens legend and NHL Hall of Famer Maurice Richard, the individual whom the Rocket Richard Trophy was named after, holds the record for most goals in the Stanley Cup Final with 34. He's featured in a total of 58 games in the championship, winning eight Cups in his illustrious career.
The all-time top 10 leading goalscorers list looks like this:
PLAYER NAME
GOALS SCORED IN STANLEY CUP FINAL
Maurice Richard, Canadiens
34
Jean Beliveau, Canadiens
30
Bernie Geoffrion, Canadiens
24
Yvan Cournoyer, Canadiens
21
Henri Richard, Canadiens
21
Jacques Lemaire, Canadiens
21
Ted Lindsay, Red Wings
19
Wayne Gretzky, Oilers, Kings
18
Gordie Howe, Red Wings
18
Mike Bossy, Islanders
17
Among the top 10, Gretzky played most recently, and his last Stanley Cup Final goal came all the way back in 1993, more than 30 years ago.
Among active NHL players, you'd have to go a bit farther down the rankings to find the first one.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, who has eight goals in 25 games in the Stanley Cup Final, ranks first among active players. He sits 54th all time. After Malkin, the likes of Patrick Kane, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Ondrej Palat all have seven.
Corey Perry's five goals in the Stanley Cup Final are the most among players participating in the championship series this year.
The quickest path to hoisting the oldest trophy in North American sports history? Sweeping your opponent in four games.
There have been 20 sweeps in the Stanley Cup Final since the series was expanded to a best-of-seven series in 1939. The '41 Boston Bruins were the first NHL team to do it, sending the Detroit Red Wings packing after four games.
There were five sweeps in the 1990s—the most sweeps in a decade since the 1940s—but there hasn't been a Stanley Cup Final decided in four games since the Detroit Red Wings blanked the Washington Capitals in '98.
Without further ado, here's a full breakdown of every series sweep in Stanley Cup Final history:
The third best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series in NHL history ended in a four-game sweep. Bruins goaltender Frank Brimsek allowed just six goals in four games, and Boston edged Detroit 3–2, 2–1, 4–2 and 3–1 to win its third Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Two years later, the Red Wings got their revenge. Detroit sent 16 goals past Brimsek, closing out the series with 4–0 and 2–0 shutouts. Red Wings stars Mud Bruneteau, Joe Carveth and Don Grosso all tallied three goals apiece in the series.
The Canadiens claimed their fifth Stanley Cup in franchise history by taking down the Chicago Black Hawks in four games. After winning the first two contests 5–1 and 3–1, Montreal edged Chicago 3–2 in Game 3 and hoisted the Stanley Cup after Toe Blake's game-winning goal in overtime gave them a 5–4 win.
How does a team one-up themselves after winning the Stanley Cup in 1947? By sweeping the series the following year. The Maple Leafs, led by Harry Watson's five goals, took down the Red Wings in four games. Toronto lost just one game during the 1948 playoffs and posted a goal differential of plus-18. Domination.
The Maple Leafs' dynasty of the 1940s wasn't done yet. Toronto scored exactly three goals in all four games, defeating the Red Wings 3–2, 3–1, 3–1 and 3–1 to hoist the Stanley Cup for a third straight year. Turk Broda manned the Leafs' net and surrendered just five goals in four contests.
Detroit swept the Maple Leafs in four games in the 1952 semifinals and did the same in the Stanley Cup Final, beating Toronto 3–1, 2–1, 3–0 and 3–0 in a rather low-scoring series. Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Tony Leswick, Metro Prystai, Marty Pavelich and Glen Skov all tallied three points apiece in the series. It was the first of three Stanley Cups that Hall of Fame goaltender Terry Sawchuk would win in Detroit.
After six sweeps in the first 14 best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series, there was an eight-year gap between sweeps in a stretch that featured two Game 7s. The Canadiens crushed the Maple Leafs in 1960, however, outscoring them 15–5 to hoist their fifth straight Stanley Cup, a streak that still stands as the most consecutive titles for a single team in NHL history.
The NHL expanded from six to 12 teams in 1967, but that didn't stop the Canadiens from punching their ticket to another Stanley Cup Final. The St. Louis Blues—one of those six expansion franchises—put up quite the fight but lost all four games in heartbreaking fashion by one goal, losing 3–2, 1–0, 4–3 and 3–2. Two of those four games went into overtime.
The Blues fought their way to a rematch in the 1969 Stanley Cup Final, but they fell short in four games once again. Canadiens goaltender Rogie Vachon, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, held the Blues to three goals in four games, stopping 104 of the 107 shots he faced.
Boston snapped an 11-year drought and defeated the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks to advance to its first Stanley Cup Final since 1958. The Bruins made the most of it, blowing out the Blues 6–1 in Game 1 and 6–2 in Game 2 before wrapping up the series in Games 3 and 4 at the Boston Garden. Phil Esposito led the Bruins with eight points (two goals, six assists) in the series.
The 1975-76 Canadiens won 58 games and tallied 127 points in the regular-season standings, the fifth-most in NHL history. They didn't mess around in the playoffs, either. Montreal swept the Black Hawks in the quarterfinals, beat the New York Islanders in five games in the semifinals and claimed its 19th Stanley Cup in franchise history after sweeping the Flyers.
Different opponent, same result. The Canadiens returned to hockey's biggest stage in 1977 and once again swept their opponent, outscoring the Bruins 16–6 in the four games. Hall of Fame winger Guy Lafleur registered nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the Stanley Cup Final and won the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player of the playoffs.
Founded in 1972, the Islanders won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history in '80 but didn't stop there. They won it again in '81, and in '82 the Islanders earned their first Stanley Cup sweep. New York won Game 1 6–5 in overtime, and outscored the Canucks 12–5 the rest of the series to secure the three-peat.
Coach Al Arbour and the Islanders were back in the Stanley Cup Final in 1983, and they followed the same game plan as '82. The Islanders won all four games by multiple goals—2–0, 6–3, 5–1 and 4–2—to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup for a fourth straight year. It was the first Stanley Cup appearance for Oilers youngster Wayne Gretzky. He would be back.
Gretzky must have learned what it takes in 1983 because he led the Oilers to championships in '84, '85 and '87. In '88, Gretzky tallied three goals and 10 assists to help the Oilers sweep the Bruins—but with an asterisk. Game 4 of the series at Boston Garden was delayed in the second period due to fog interfering with the game, and later suspended after the power went out. The score was tied 3–3 at the time. Game 4 was moved to Edmonton, where the Oilers won 6–3 and claimed the sweep.
The Penguins won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 1991 and were back in '92 to face the Blackhawks. Pittsburgh scored twice in the third period of Game 1 to win 5–4, and edged Chicago 3–1, 1–0 and 6–5 in the final three games to finish off the sweep.
The Devils became the sixth non-Original Six team to win a championship when they swept the Red Wings in 1995. Neal Broten scored three goals and tallied three assists to lead the way for New Jersey, which closed out the series with resounding 5–2 victories in both Game 3 and Game 4.
The Panthers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in just the third season in their existence, but the Avalanche—in their first season in Colorado since relocating from Quebec—spoiled the party. Patrick Roy allowed just four goals the entire series and held the Panthers scoreless for 103 minutes in Game 3, which the Avs won 1–0 in triple overtime. Joe Sakic won the Conn Smythe Trophy after tallying five points (one goal, four assists) in the series.
The 1996–97 Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup Final since '55, taking down the Flyers in four games—4–2, 4–2, 6–1 and 2–1. Sergei Federov led the way for Detroit's "Russian Five" with six points (three goals, three assists) in the series.
The 1997–98 season marked the fourth straight Stanley Cup Final to end in a sweep. Entering the upcoming matchup between the Panthers and Oilers, there hasn't been a Stanley Cup Final sweep since. The Red Wings won the first three games of the series by one goal—2–1, 5–4 and 2–1—before winning 4–1 in Game 4 to finish off Washington.
The Edmonton Oilers are four wins away from ending Canada's Stanley Cup drought. The country is seeking its first NHL Championship since 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens were able to win it all.
Standing in their way is the Florida Panthers, a state that has now won five-straight Eastern Conference Finals, with the Tampa Bay Lightning winning two Stanley Cups along the way.
Game 1 is set to take place on Saturday night and I'm here to break down everything you need to know to bet on the opening stanza.
Stuart Skinner: All eyes will be on Connor McDavid, but I would argue the most important player in this game is the Oilers' goaltender, Stuart Skinner. When he brings his "A" game, the Oilers are near unbeatable, but he hasn't done that at times. Edmonton almost lost to the Vancouver Canucks in the second round almost solely due to poor play from Skinner. Whether or not they win the Cup may just come down to his performance.
Florida Panthers
Carter Verhaeghe: Carther Vergaeghe enters the Stanley Cup Final as the Panthers' leading scorer in the playoffs with nine goals. If the Panthers want to beat the Oilers, they need to find ways to score goals on a consistent basis and Verhaeghe may be the key to that happening.
I'm backing the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup and I like them to win the first game of the series, but my best bet is on the total. I like the UNDER 5.5.
The Oilers deployed a defensive style of play that helped them win Game 5 and Game 6 against the Dallas Stars. They sacrificed offensive rushes to stay home and while the puck was in their own end, they play a tight zone that forced the Stars to take low-quality shots from the perimeter. That helped Stuart Skinner as they prevented the Stars from getting high-danger scoring opportunities.
If they use the same strategy against a Panthers team, that plays a similar style to the Stars, we could be in for a low-scoring series.
Let's also remember the Panthers were one of the best defensive teams in the NHL during the regular season. They allowed just 2.39 goals per 60 minutes, the best mark in the entire league, while also giving up only 10.68 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes, which ranked seventh.
I'll take the Oilers and the UNDER in Game 1.
Pick: Oilers (+114) and UNDER 5.5 goals (-104)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
The 2024 Stanley Cup Final is ready for the puck drop, as the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will battle in the best-of-seven series to decide who will hoist the most important trophy in hockey.
The Panthers cruised through the Eastern Conference bracket, defeating the in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, the Boston Bruins in six and the New York Rangers in six to punch a ticket to their second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance and third in franchise history. Florida is led by 35-year-old goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who has allowed just 2.20 goals per contest across 17 games this postseason.
The Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Kings in five games, the Vancouver Canucks in seven and the Dallas Stars in six to make their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2006. Connor McDavid, the six-time NHL All-Star, five-time Art Ross Trophy winner and three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, is chasing the one piece of hardware that has alluded him his entire nine-year career—Lord Stanley's Cup.
It's shaping up to be a memorable Stanley Cup Final. So, what's the ticket price to get in the door? Here's a breakdown for each game (ticket prices as of June 5):
Most expensive tickets
If you're looking to buy a ticket to Saturday’s Game 1 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., and have some cheddar to spend, look no further than the second row in Section Club 29. Tickets there are going for $8,642 apiece before fees. Otherwise, most tickets in the lower bowl will cost anywhere between $1,500 and $4,200.
Cheapest tickets
The Panthers have won just one home game in the Stanley Cup Final in the club's 30-year history. They were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in four games in 1996 and won Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights before losing the series.
If you're looking for the cheapest ticket in the door to witness a chance at history, it'll cost you at least $445 to do so. Those "cheap" seats are located in the upper deck, the 15th row in sections 326 and 310—both of which sit behind each goal.
Most expensive tickets
The Panthers will be looking to either extend their series lead to 2–0 or head to Edmonton with a split series with a win in Game 2 on Monday. The most expensive ticket into the arena June 10 is $6,638 before fees, which will land you in the first row of Section Club 3, located in the club level parallel with the net the Panthers will occupy twice in the game.
Cheapest tickets
The cheapest way to get into Amerant Bank Arena for Game 2 is, once again, $445 before fees. Those tickets will seat you in the 10th row of Section 308, which overlooks one of the nets from an angle in the upper deck.
The least expensive ticket in the lower bowl currently is going for $617—in the 27th row of Section 109.
Most expensive tickets
Both teams will take the eight-plus hour flight from South Florida to Edmonton for Game 3, which is set to begin June 13 at 8 p.m. ET at Rogers Place.
The most expensive ticket listed on Ticketmaster is currently priced at $11,595 in Canadian dollars, or $8,466 in U.S. dollars. Those seats are in the third row of Section 103, right behind the Oilers' bench. Fans sitting there will have a decent chance of being pictured on television behind an elated—or grumpy—Edmonton bench depending on how the game unfolds.
Cheapest tickets
If you thought the $445 from the first two games in Florida was too much to see the Stanley Cup Final in person, we have some bad news. The cheapest ticket for Game 3 is currently going for $1,271.36 in Canadian dollars, or $928 in U.S. dollars. Those seats are located in the eighth row of Section 208, in the upper deck behind the net that the Oilers will attack twice in the game.
Most expensive tickets
The country of Canada is currently in a 31-year drought without one of its teams bringing the Stanley Cup home. The last team to do it was the Montreal Canadiens, who defeated the Kings in five games in 1993. The Canucks (1994, 2011), Flames (2004), Oilers (2006), Senators (2007) and Canadiens (2021) all have fallen just short of hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup since then.
If the Oilers claim the first three games of the series, they can end Canada's drought and claim the Stanley Cup in Game 4 at home on June 15.
Fans in attendance will pay for the chance to witness history, too. Per Stubhub, the most expensive tickets for Game 4 are listed at $18,441 apiece in Section 127. Fans sitting there will get a great view behind the net that the Panthers will shoot at in two of the game's three periods.
Cheapest tickets
Ticket pricing is subject to change based on how the first three games of the series unfold, but as of June 5, hockey fans can buy their way into Rogers Place for $960. Those seats are in the seventh row of Section 215, located in the upper deck over the net that the Oilers will shoot at twice.
The Edmonton Oilers punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. Awaiting them on the NHL's biggest stage is the Florida Panthers, who also represented the Eastern Conference last year.
Does the Panthers' Stanley Cup Final experience give them an edge over the Oilers? Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch doesn't believe it does.
"Experience is good. I don't know how much experience is beneficial," Knoblauch said. "You'd have to ask the Buffalo Bills how important Super Bowl experience is."
Knoblauch is referencing the Bills' infamous run in the early 1990s. Buffalo made four straight Super Bowls from 1991 to '94 but lost all of them. Although the Bills went 49–15 in the regular season over that span, every campaign ended in the same fashion—a loss in the big game to an NFC East team in the New York Giants, Washington and the Dallas Cowboys (twice).
The Panthers have made five straight playoff appearances and advanced to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, only to fall in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Florida will be chasing its first Stanley Cup in franchise history this summer while the Oilers attempt to end Canada's 31-year drought without a title.
"I think the biggest thing is just having confidence to play," Knoblauch said. "When our guys are playing our best, they should have a lot of confidence."
The puck is scheduled to drop in Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
