Saturday NHL Predictions: Insights from Experts on June 14 Matches

Hot Tips for Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 5! 🏒

Series tied 2-2

8 p.m. ET

Man, oh man, can I sleep in tomorrow!? After that mind-blowing OT win by the Oilers in Game 4, I'm ready for a snooze fest. The Oilers managed to become the first team in over a century to win a road game in the Cup Final after being three goals down. Crazy, right? This had been the second time in their last 23 playoff games that the Panthers lost a game when leading after the first period—both losses, you guessed it, coming against Edmonton in this year's Cup Final!

With that thriller, seven out of the last nine encounters between these two powerhouses have had seven or more goals. Game Four was also the 100th OT game in Stanley Cup Playoff history. Guess who broke a record there? Yup, that's right—Leon Draisaitl became the first player in Stanley Cup history to score four overtime goals in a single postseason. Now, he's outpaced Connor McDavid as the betting favorite to take home the Conn Smythe if the Oilers win the Stanley Cup. I can't imagine the loser taking the MVP honors, but hey, stranger things have happened, I suppose.

The brilliance of the Oilers' switch to Calvin Pickard in goal shouldn't be overlooked after Stuart Skinner let in three goals within the first 20 minutes of Game Four. Edmonton's penalties were a major factor, leading to an unanswered pair of Florida power-play goals by Tkachuk and Lundell. Skinner's performance in the opening minutes prevented the game from being 5-0 for the Panthers.

Kris Knoblauch made the right calls, as the Oilers responded with four unanswered goals, only to have the Panthers tie the game in the final minute before Draisaitl sealed the deal in OT. With the win, Pickard improved his postseason record to 7-0. Interestingly enough, four out of the Oilers' first four OT goals in this series have come from players who hadn't scored a goal in the Final up to that point! Both teams have now had ten different players find the back of the net in the Final.

Now let's dive into my best bets for Game 5:

Mattias Ekholm Over 1.5 blocked shots (-155) - 1 unitEkholm has blocked two or more shots in ten out of his last eleven games. With the high-flying offense both teams possess, you can count on this guy using his body to slow them down.
Evan Bouchard Over 3.5 shots on goal (+115) - .50 unitsAfter three consecutive games with seven or more shots on goal, the books are making you pay a hefty fee for Bouchard to exceed 2.5 shots in Game Four. He had only three hits the target and missed several others, so let's hope this means his shot total bounces back in Game 5.
Connor McDavid Over 4.5 shots on goal (+210) - .50 unitsAt home, McDavid's shots on goal record has been much more impressive than on the road. With the last line change, he can take advantage of better matchups, making him a solid pick for at least five shots on goal again in Game 5.
McDavid/Bouchard Over 2.5 shots on goal parlay (-104) - 1 unitA double shot of shots on goal from these two stars could very well be the difference in this game.
Corey Perry Over 1.5 shots on goal (-110) -.50 unitsCorey Perry is a consistent shooter, notching two or more shots in six games. He's a reliable scorer and will be looking to make a mark in this do-or-die game.
Sam Bennett anytime goal (+210) - .20 unitsBennett has scored twelve out of his fourteen goals on the road, making him a valuable pick for a score tonight, considering this is a crucial away game for the Panthers.
Brad Marchand Over 1/2 point (+104) - .20 unitsWith fourteen road points, Marchand is tied for second on the team. He'll be looking to keep up his strong play on the road, making him a solid pick for at least half a point in Game 5.

Bonus insights:Historically, these two teams have had a fierce rivalry, with the Oilers holding a slight edge in their overall meetings. The Panthers, however, won the series back in 2024, when they hoisted the Stanley Cup. Multiple overtime games have become a hallmark of this series, with individual players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the charge for the Oilers.

Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as we gear up for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final! 🏒🏆 Let the games begin! 🚀🚀🚀

In the upcoming Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 5, expert picks include Mattias Ekholm to have over 1.5 blocked shots (-155) and Evan Bouchard to have over 3.5 shots on goal (+115). With a crucial away game for the Panthers, Sam Bennett (+210) and Brad Marchand (+104) are also tipped for anytime goals or recording half a point respectively. historical rivalry between the teams and multiple overtime games are expected.