Stanley Cup Archives - US Sports News

Panthers vs. Oilers Prediction, Odds, and Key Players for Stanley Cup Final Game 3

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.

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Puck Line

Moneyline

Total

Panthers Injury Report

Oilers Injury Report

Edmonton Oilers

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.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

6 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Oilers vs. Panthers NHL Expert Prediction and Odds for Stanley Cup Final Game 1

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.

Odds listed are via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Moneyline

Total

Oilers Injury Report

Panthers Injury Report

Edmonton Oilers

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.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

4 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Conn Smythe Trophy Odds: Connor McDavid Favored to be Named NHL Playoff MVP

The Edmonton Oilers have won the Western Conference Final, beating the Dallas Stars in six games, and now advance to the Stanley Cup Final to face the Florida Panthers.

Despite the Panthers being favored to win the Stanley Cup, Connor McDavid opens as the top option to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the NHL Playoffs. Let's dive into the list of odds.

All odds listed in this article are via FanDuel Sportsbook

McDavid is set as the +250 betting favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is an implied probability of 28.57%. He's leading the playoffs in points with 31, three more than his teammate, Leon Draisaitl, whose odds are set at +650.

It's rare for the favorite to win playoff MVP is a member of the team that's set as underdogs, but it makes sense when you consider how even the race is amongst the Panthers' top players. If it's the Oilers who win the cup, there's almost no question it's going to be McDavid.

It's also possible for a member of the losing team to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, as it's happened five times before. With that being said, four of the five times its happened, including the most recent (Jean-Sebastian Giguere in 2003), it was awarded to the opposing goalie. The only skater to win the trophy as a member of the losing team was Reggie Leach of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976.

Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky are the top options for the Panthers at +400 odds each. Barkov is tied for eighth in the playoffs with 17 points and Bobrovksy enters the final with a save percentage of .908.

The best value bet on the board might just be Carter Verhaeghe of the Panthers, who leads the team in goals with nine. He also has the same amount of total points of Barkov, whose odds are at +400, while Verhaeghe's odds are set at +2400.

A $100 bet on Verhaeghe would profit $2,400 if he's named the winner of the award.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

30 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

How to watch the 2024 Stanley Cup Final With & Without Cable: Full Streaming Guide

Amidst a drama-filled postseason, the 2023-24 NHL campaign is nearing an end. A new champion will be crowned in the upcoming 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final.

The playoff bracket is down to four teams—the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final and the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.

The format of the Stanley Cup Final is simple—a best-of-seven series just like the first three rounds of the playoffs. The team with home-ice advantage (awarded based on which team had the better regular-season record) hosts Game 1, Game 2, Game 5 (if necessary) and Game 7. The other team hosts Games 3, 4 and 6.

The Rangers would have home-ice advantage if they advance past the Eastern Conference Final since they finished with the most points (114) in the regular-season standings. The Stars (113 points) would have home-ice advantage if the Panthers (110 points) won the East, and Florida can only have the advantage if the Oilers (104 points) beat Dallas.

Without further ado, here's everything you need to know about tuning in to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final:

The best-of-seven series to crown the 2023-24 NHL champion will begin with Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on Saturday, June 8.

Every game will be televised exclusively on ABC in the United States. In Canada, the games will be aired on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.

GAME	DATE	TIME	CHANNEL
Game 1	Saturday, June 8	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 2	Monday, June 10	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 3	Thursday, June 13	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 4	Saturday, June 15	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 5 (if necessary)	Tuesday, June 18	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 6 (if necessary)	Friday, June 21	8 p.m. ET	ABC
Game 7 (if necessary)	Monday, June 24	8 p.m. ET	ABC

Every game of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final will be available for fans in the United States to stream on ESPN+ and the ABC app. Both will require a TV provider login.

Streaming options that don’t require cable include FuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. For fans not looking to spend exorbitant amounts on a streaming service, FuboTV offers a free one-week trial to new subscribers.

29 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

What’s the Furthest the Florida Panthers Have Ever Gone in the NHL Playoffs?

The Florida Panthers are once again making a deep run in the NHL playoffs in 2024, continuing the franchise's chase for its first Stanley Cup title.

Florida was established as an NHL expansion franchise in 1993 and made its first playoff appearance in '96. Over 30 seasons, the Panthers have made 10 playoff appearances—including their current streak of five straight seasons—and have won nine postseason series as they battle the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Panthers advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in two of those 10 playoff appearances in 1996 and 2023, coming up just short of hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup both times. Here's a look back at the Panthers' two runs to the Stanley Cup Final:

GAME	RESULT
Game 1	Avalanche 3, Panthers 1
Game 2	Avalanche 8, Panthers 1
Game 3	Avalanche 3, Panthers 2
Game 4	Avalanche 1, Panthers 0

The 1995–96 Panthers made the most of their first playoff appearance in franchise history, defeating the Boston Bruins in five games, the Philadelphia Flyers in six and the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven for a chance to play on hockey's biggest stage.

The 1996 Stanley Cup Final featured a matchup between two franchises attempting to win their first league title, as the Colorado Avalanche battled through the Western Conference bracket. The 1995–96 campaign was the Avalanche's first in Colorado, as the franchise formerly known as the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver after the 1994–95 season.

The series was all Colorado from the start. Goaltender Patrick Roy stopped 147 of the 151 shots he faced, and Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic tallied five points apiece as the Avalanche swept Florida in four games.

The Panthers wouldn't make another appearance in the Stanley Cup Final until nearly 30 years later in 2023.

GAME	RESULT
Game 1	Golden Knights 5, Panthers 2
Game 2	Golden Knights 7, Panthers 2
Game 3	Panthers 3, Golden Knights 2 (OT)
Game 4	Golden Knights 3, Panthers 2
Game 5	Golden Knights 9, Panthers 3

The Panthers' run through the 2023 playoffs was quite a roller coaster. As the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, Florida found itself trailing the Boston Bruins 3–1 in the opening round but battled back to win the last three games of the series 4–3, 7–5 and 4–3 to advance. Florida defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games and swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.

Florida's momentum stopped against Vegas, however. Golden Knights forward Mark Stone scored a series-high five goals and Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP after tallying eight points (four goals, four assists) in the Stanley Cup Final.

After making the playoffs for three straight years from 2019 to '22 and winning the Presidents' Trophy in the 2021–22 campaign, the Panthers reconstructed their roster and traded top scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and three other assets to the Ottawa Senators for Matthew Tkachuk. The gamble paid off, as Tkachuk led them back to the Stanley Cup Final, but a championship still proved to be illusive for the franchise that calls Sunrise, Fla., home.

29 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

When Was the Last Time the Dallas Stars Won the Stanley Cup? Full List of Championship Years

The Dallas Stars have been a postseason mainstay over the last six years, reaching the NHL playoffs in five of those seasons. During that span, however, they've been unsuccessful in winning the Stanley Cup, despite making an appearance in the Final in 2020.

They're hopeful of changing those fortunes this season. Currently embroiled in a Western Conference Final tilt against the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas is looking to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final and win what would be just the second title in franchise history, dating back to their time as the Minnesota North Stars.

Let's take a look back at the Stars' championship season, as well as their appearances in the Stanley Cup Final throughout history.

GAME	RESULT
Game 1	Sabres 3, Stars 2 (OT)
Game 2	Stars 4, Sabres 2
Game 3	Stars 2, Sabres 1
Game 4	Sabres 2, Stars 1
Game 5	Stars 2, Sabres 0
Game 6	Stars 2, Sabres 0 (3OT)

The lone championship in Stars history came 25 years ago during the 1998–99 season, when they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the Stanley Cup Final. They won the series in six games, which featured a legendary triple overtime thriller in the closeout Game 6 that saw Hall of Fame right winger Brett Hull seal the deal with the game-winning goal after nearly two full hours of game time.

It's one of the most iconic moments in franchise history. That Dallas team was loaded, with five players who would eventually reach the Hall of Fame, including Hull, Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, Sergei Zubov and Guy Carbonneau.

Although they've only won one Stanley Cup, the Stars have made five total trips to the Finals. The first came back in 1981, back when the team was still playing out of Minnesota. Then the North Stars, the team was defeated by the New York Islanders in a five-game series.

They returned to the Stanley Cup Final a decade later, despite finishing fourth in their division with a 27–39–14 record. The team made a stunning postseason run before being bested in six games at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Their next trip to the Stanley Cup Final was in 1999, when they won against the Sabres. The team made another Stanley Cup Final run in 2000, but were defeated in a six-game set against the New Jersey Devils.

Dallas's last and most recent run to the championship came in 2020, when they were defeated in six games by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Much of that team, including the likes of Tyler Seguin, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen, among many others, remain on the roster in 2024, eager to finish the job they fell just short of four years ago.