Best Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1 Player Props, ATS Bets: EDM Favored At Home

Newsweek

3 days ago

The Panthers are slight underdogs on the road vs. the Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night.
The Panthers are slight underdogs on the road vs. the Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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The long wait for the Stanley Cup Final rematch between 2024 champ Florida and runner-up Edmonton is finally over.
Tonight at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB, Connor McDavid and the Oilers will look to get off to a strong start at home after falling into a 3-0 hole vs. the Panthers in last year's Stanley Cup Final.
In what is expected to be a hard-fought series, with most pundits predicting a seven-gamer, it should come as no surprise that sportsbooks see Game 1 as a virtual toss-up.
The Game 1 odds below mirror the odds for the series, with Florida listed between +100 and +110 to win the Stanley Cup at various sportsbooks, and Edmonton priced between -120 and -130.
Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Betting Odds
The odds below include the money line and the puck line. The puck line is like a spread bet, but the standard puck line is typically set at -1.5/+1.5, with the prices weighted to reflect who's favored.
DK FD bet365 FLA ML +102 +104 +100 EDM ML -122 -125 -120 FLA puck line +1.5 (-230) +1.5 (-235) +1.5 (-245) EDM puck line -1.5 (-190) -1.5 (+186) -1.5 (+200) Total 6.5 (o+102; u-122) 6.5 (o+100; u-122) 6.0 (o-120; u+110)
How to Watch Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1
Puck drop: 8 p.m. ET
Channel: TNT/truTV/Max
Best Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1 Player Props
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 1+ Points (-150 at DraftKings) -- 1 unit
Nugent-Hopkins flies under the radar, especially compared to Oilers stars McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but he's been consistently productive in these playoffs.
Nugent-Hopkins has 18 points in 16 games this postseason, with 13 assists and 5 goals. As Edmonton's first-line left winger alongside McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins rarely lacks for quality opportunities. He took full advantage against the Stars in the Western Conference Finals, with nine points in five games, including at least two apiece in Games 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Nugent-Hopkins only notched two points in last year's seven-game series between these teams. He was active, though, with at least one shot on goal in six of seven games, and he finished the series with 27 total shot attempts (3.86 per game).
Another tempting bet for Nugent-Hopkins -- whose 13 playoff assists are tied for the third-most in the NHL, behind only McDavid (20) and Draisaitl (18) -- is his 1+ assist prop (+120 at bet365).
Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1 Pick, Best Bets
One year after an embarrassing 3-0 loss in Florida that started their 2024 Stanley Cup Final on a sour note, I expect the Oilers to start this series off strong.
Yes, I'm banking on the obvious factors in their favor like the home crowd and the presence of McDavid, but I also trust Edmonton's strong play in the Western Conference Finals, when they outscored Dallas 19-5 across Games 2-5 to turn a 1-0 series deficit into a gentleman's sweep, to carry over to at least Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
I also expect a solid night at home from goalie Stuart Skinner. After a rough start to his postseason, he is coming off a strong WCF performance against the Stars and will be eager to bounce back after a rough series vs. the Panthers a year ago.
Doubting Florida in the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been a great way to lose money over the last couple years, but for at least Game 1 at home, let's go with Edmonton to win the first period and pull out a close victory at home.
Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1 Best Bets:
Oilers to win 1st period; tie no bet (-150 at DraftKings) -- 0.5 units
Oilers ML (-120 at bet365) -- 0.5 units
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