Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport

Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers: Stanley Cup Finals Game 3

The Edmonton Oilers will look to stay alive in the Stanley Cup Finals series when they host the Florida Panthers for Game 3 on Thursday at Rogers Place.

 

Is this the season for the Panthers?

The Florida Panthers have made it to the Stanley Cup final for a second consecutive season, and after losing last year, it seems like this is the year for them to win the title. The Panthers took a 2-0 series lead with a 4-1 win in Game 2. The Panthers were down by mid-point of the game when they tied the score with Niko Mikkola’s goal and then took it in the third period. Evan Rodrigues scored twice, and Aaron Ekblad scored on the empty net to set the final score. Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov lead the Panthers with 19 points in 19 games so far in the playoffs.

 

The Oilers are with their back against the wall

The Edmonton Oilers came to the finals series with their confidence high but things do not look that promising after losing both games on the road in Florida. Edmonton took the lead in Game 2 after Mattias Ekholm scored halfway in the opening period, but that is all the Oilers did by the end of the game. Connor McDavid leads the team with 32 points in the playoffs, followed by Leon Drainsaitl with 28.

 

Betting Trends

The Oilers are 4-1 SU in the last 5 home games and 1-4 SU in the last 5 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. They have played under the total goal line in 4 of their last 5 games overall, 6 of the last 9 against Florida, and 10 of the last 15 games against teams from the Atlantic Division, while they have gone over in 5 of the last 7 home games against the Panthers. Florida is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games overall, 4-1 SU in the last 5 games against Edmonton, 7-1 SU in the last 8 games against teams from the Western Conference, and 6-1 SU in the last 7 games against teams from the Pacific Division. They have played under the total goal line in the last five games overall and in five of the last six games on the road.

 

Prediction and Conclusion

The Florida Panthers are in a great situation, traveling north to Edmonton after winning both home games in the Stanley Cup final. The Edmonton Oilers were one of the best offensive teams in the league all year but scored only one goal in the first two games of the series. They will have to go all-in and be way more aggressive tonight if they want to keep their chances of winning the title. The Oilers have proved they are a tough team every time they face a must-win game, and they will do the same tonight, cutting the series deficit to 2-1.