NHL Picks: Stanley Cup Betting Picks for Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 3

Written by

Published on June 13, 2024

NHL Bets Tonight: Florida Panthers at
Edmonton Oilers
Game 3 NHL Best Bets and Player Props

The Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers battle in Game 3 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ABC or streamed on ESPN+.

Stay up to date on the Stanley Cup odds now that the finals are here, as well as the latest NHL odds for each game of the series. Going into Game 3, the Panthers are -450 favorites to hoist the Cup after winning the first two games. The BetMGM bonus code now gets new customers a first-bet offer worth up to $1,500, allowing them to get in on the action for the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Panthers arrived into Alberta late on Wednesday, just 22 hours prior to puck drop, as weather caused a ground stop at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. That's about the only thing that has gone wrong for Florida in this series, as the Cats hold a commanding 2-0 lead heading to the Great White North.

The Panthers opened the series with a 3-0 shutout win behind Sergei Bobrovsky, as the goalie kicked aside all 32 shots he faced in Game 1. In Game 2, the Oilers were able to beat him once to take their first lead of the series, but the Panthers scored four unanswered goals, including two by the unheralded Evan Rodrigues.

Niko Mikkola scored the first goal for the Panthers midway through the second period, and Rodrigues had the other two goals before Aaron Ekblad's empty-net goal.

Meanwhile, Mattias Ekholm is the only goal scorer in two games for Edmonton, and that's not going to fly if it hopes to play more than two more games in this series. The Florida penalty kill has been on point, shutting down the vaunted Edmonton power play. The Oilers are 0-for-7 on the man advantage, as the Panthers continue to eat pucks on defense. And when they don't, there's Bob cleaning it up every time.

In Game 2, Florida outshot Edmonton 29-19, while posting 37 hits to just 30 for the Oilers. Florida has a 94-62 advantage in the hits department in two games in the series so far. And while the Panthers weren't as dominant as Game 1 at the faceoff circle, it still posted a 54.4% mark at the dot in Game 2. The Oilers did level the blocked shots in Game 2, tying at 19 apiece, after the Panthers blocked six more shots in the opener.

It's now or never for the Oilers, as they return home in front of a raucous crowd. Edmonton carries the hopes of a nation on its shoulders, too, as Stanley Cup-starved Canada searches for its first title since 1993.

Stuart Skinner hasn't been that bad in this series, as the 25-year-old Edmonton native has allowed five goals on 45 shots. But he has to be a tick better, and he needs a little more offensive support. I think both of those things happen in Game 3, perhaps in a 3-2 type of game. We're going to have a series, folks.

NHL Moneyline Bets for Panthers at Oilers

Oilers ML (-135 at DraftKings)

Cash in on the best sportsbook promo codes to get the most bang for your buck during the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the best sports betting apps have upwards of thousands of dollars in bonuses available at signup. DraftKings has a new offer for those who sign up using the DraftKings promo code featuring a Bet $5, Get $150 offer.

Bobrovsky (14-5-0, 2.02 GAA, .916 SV%, 2 SO - 2024 playoffs) has been a brick wall, similar to how he was last season until the Stanley Cup Final against Vegas. This season, he has shown no signs of letting up on the biggest stage of them all.

The Under has cashed in both games in this series, while hitting in five in a row for Florida, and 10 of the past 11 postseason games.

For the Oilers, they're also on a 4-0 run to the Under, while going 9-2-1 across the past 12 playoff outings. The choice is clear. Go low until these capable power plays start to make noise. So far, there has been little evidence of that happening, especially against Bobrovsky.

NHL Totals Bets for Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers

Under 5.5 (-125 at Caesars)

Check out what Caesars has to offer this NHL postseason with the Caesars Sportsbook promo code, ROTO1000, for a $1,000 first bet after signup. See our page for more information.

NHL Player Props for Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers

It's Game 3, and we're again looking for an Under result, so let's avoid those Anytime Goal Scorer (AGS) props, as that's basically cheering against yourself when you also have an Under ticket. There are plenty of other props, from goaltender saves to shots on goal, blocked shots, etc.

The Oilers are going to be desperate, or at least they should be, to get back into this series. Florida gummed up the neutral zone in Game 2, limiting the amount of opportunities for Edmonton to get into the zone. After making 32 saves in Game 1, Bob was tasked with just 19 shots, saving 18 of them. Look for Edmonton to pick up the pace offensively, spurred on by its home crowd energy. Note: This save is for regulation only, so any saves accured in overtime do not count.

Sergei Bobrovsky Over 24.5 Total Saves - 60 Min (-162 at FanDuel)

For the visitors, Florida's Carter Verhaeghe has picked up 10 goals and 18 points in 19 postseason games, including four goals and eight points in eight road outings. He is a good bet to at least notch one point, either with a goal or an assist.

Carter Verhaeghe - Player To Record 1+ Points (-146 at FanDuel)

And, it's Game 3, so let's do a bonus third player prop. Zach Hyman has been blanked in the first two games, and he has managed just four shots on goal. In his most recent home game, he has a goal and three SOG in Game 6 against Dallas on June 2. He has 45 SOG in nine postseason home outings, or 5.0 SOG per contest. Let's go high here.