Oilers Fend Off Stars in Game 6 to Reach First Stanley Cup Finals Since 2006

June 3, 2024 Jimm Sallivan

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Oilers shut the door on the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday night, propelling themselves to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2006.

McDavid led the charge offensively, providing two points, including a sublime toe-dragging goal in the first period, in order to lift Edmonton over Dallas, 2–1. The Oilers registered just 10 shots on target in the game, 25 fewer than the Stars and the fewest ever by a team in a win to clinch the Western Conference Final.

Despite their lack of shooting, Edmonton’s special teams effort was sensational. Both Oilers goals game on the power play and they denied Dallas on each of their man advantages on Sunday night. They’ve prevented a goal on 28 consecutive penalties.

It marks the first time in McDavid’s career that he’ll be playing in the Stanley Cup Finals, and he’ll be looking to help the franchise lift Lord Stanley’s Cup for the first time since 1990. The Oilers have five championships in their history, and they’ll be looking to add a sixth, with the championship bout against the Florida Panthers due to get underway on Saturday, June 8.

13 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets Today (A Side, Total, and Prop Bet for Game 3)

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.

All odds listed in this article are via BetMGM Sportsbook

Oilers -135 vs. Panthers

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.

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

7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Who Has Scored the Most Goals in Stanley Cup Final History?

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.

In NHL history, the Stanley Cup Final has largely been dominated by the "Original Six" teams. The Montreal Canadiens have won 24 championships, followed by the 13 won by the Toronto Maple Leafs, 11 to the Detroit Red Wings and six for both the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks.

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.

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!

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Oilers Fend Off Stars in Game 6 to Reach First Stanley Cup Finals Since 2006

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