stanley cup final game 6 preview

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Tyler Everett

By Tyler Everett

Sports Betting Editor

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After two evenly played contests to open the Stanley Cup Final, the reigning champion Florida Panthers have had the upper hand over the Edmonton Oilers for almost all of Games 3, 4 and 5.

While the Panthers let a big early lead slip away in Game 4, they controlled Games 3 (FLA 6, EDM 1) and 5 (FLA 5, EDM 2) from start to finish.

With a 3-2 lead and Game 6 tonight on home ice, the Panthers are on the verge of once again winning the Stanley Cup at Edmonton's expense.

Can Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers -- who went down 3-0 vs. Florida in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, but rallied to force Game 7 -- come through in a must-win spot tonight?

Or will the Panthers finish the job after bullying Edmonton at Rogers Place in Game 5?

Stanley Cup Final Game 6 Betting Odds

The odds below include the money line and the puck line. The puck line works 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.

How to Watch Oilers vs. Panthers Game 6

Stanley Cup Final Series Winner Odds (as of June 17)

NHL Conn Smythe Trophy Winner Odds Entering Game 6

Assuming the Panthers, who are heavily favored to win the series, finish the job, the Conn Smythe winner will almost certainly be either Sam Bennett or Brad Marchand.

Bennett has continued his outstanding postseason run in the Stanley Cup Final, with a total of five goals and an assist in Games 1-5. He boasts a playoff-leading 15 goals, which explains why he's heavily favored to win the Conn Smythe.

Marchand is still in the mix, though, as he's scored six goals in this series, including two apiece in Games 2 and 5.

Best Panthers vs. Oilers Game 6 Player Prop

Brad Marchand 3+ Shots On Goal (+145 at bet365) -- 1 unit

Marchand has been a monster in this series. His goal-scoring has been the story, but he also tallied at least three shots on goal in each of Games 1, 2, 4 and 5 while averaging 4.4 SOG per game in this series.

He had 5 SOG in each of Games 4 and 5 on 19 total shot attempts (TSA): 9 in Game 4, and 10 -- in just 24 shifts -- in Game 5.

It's also worth noting that dating back to Game 2, Marchand has finished three of the last four games with at least nine TSA, and he also posted five TSA in Game 1.

Given how aggressive he's been as Florida has taken over this series over the last couple of games, three SOG strikes us as well within reach for Marchand tonight. That makes this a difficult prop to resist, especially at longer than +140 odds.

Oilers vs. Panthers Game 6 Pick, Best Bet

The Panthers have been able to wear out every opponent they've faced the last two postseasons, and for most of the last three games, the Oilers have looked like the latest team to run out of answers against coach Paul Maurice's Panthers.

Edmonton pulled starting goalie Stuart Skinner midway through Game 4 and got a huge night from Calvin Pickard as they erased a 3-0 deficit, but Pickard allowed four goals on 18 shots in Game 5.

That performance sparked questions about who will start in net for the Oilers tonight, and sure enough, Skinner said at a press conference early Tuesday afternoon that he would be in goal this evening.

The last we saw Skinner, he was heading to the bench in Game 4 in Florida after giving up three goals in the first period.

Edmonton showed us last year that it knows how to stay alive when facing elimination, but I'm going with the veteran Panthers to close this series out at home tonight.

I expect Florida -- which has led after the first period in four of five games in this series and outscored Edmonton 11-4 in the opening 20 minutes (including 7-0 across Games 3, 4 and 5) -- to take an early lead and win by multiple goals for the third time in four games.

Oilers vs. Panthers Game 6 Best Bets:

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