Wow. Just wow. The Florida Panthers are one win away from their first-ever Stanley Cup in franchise history, and they have a complete stranglehold over the Edmonton Oilers. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have yet to find a way to beat Sergei Bobrovsky. The Panthers have absolutely smothered the Oilers and have made it as difficult as possible for them to find any life. Which players will have an impact on the first elimination game of the series? Let’s get my NHL props for Game Four.
Florida at Edmonton (-118, 5.5)
The Florida Panthers have made it feel like this series is completely over. Aleksander Barkov has established himself as one of the best players in the world, he continues to impress night in and night out. Barkov along with Sergei Bobrovsky have both made very strong cases for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, but I can guarantee that neither of those guys care about that individual award.
In my opinion, the life has been completely sucked out of the Edmonton Oilers, and it feels like all signs are pointing toward a sweep.
Sam Bennett has been one of the most impactful players for the Panthers all postseason long. He scored a huge goal in Game Three to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead while he continues to be an absolute pest on the Oilers’ defensemen. Bennett has had two shots on goal in each of the three games in this series thus far, but I anticipate him to be one of the key contributors in clinching the Stanley Cup.
While McDavid’s production has been somewhat disappointing, even though he had two assists in Game Three, it feels very underwhelming. A positive is that he leads the series with shots on goal (14). One thing about McDavid is that you never have to question his competitive level. He’ll do everything in his power to win Game Four.
Bobrovsky has been one of the biggest difference-makers in this series. He’s boasting a .953 save percentage with a 1.33 goals against average and is now putting himself in the conversation of where he ranks amongst goalies of all time. The Oilers have had a hard time scoring goals consistently, and I don’t see that changing in Game Four.
NHL Props: Sam Bennett over 2.5 shots on goal +114 (play to +100) | Connor McDavid over 3.5 shots on goal -120 (play to -135) | Edmonton Oilers under 2.5 goals +110 (play to -110)
June Record: 7-9 (-3.50 units)
2023-24 record: 199–185 (-19.42 units)
