After 82 regular-season games and three electric rounds of playoff hockey, the Stanley Cup Final has finally arrived. The championship round brings a rematch of last season’s matchup between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers — given the high stakes and history between these squads, this year’s edition should be a real treat for hockey fans.
As Matthew Tkachuk and Alexsander Barkov prepare to battle Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl once again, here’s a couple of best bets to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook for Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1 on Wednesday night.
Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1 best bets
Sergei Bobrovsky over 24.5 saves (-125)
The Panthers’ goaltender caught fire at the right time last postseason to deliver the team their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. This time around, his stats look even better.
With a .912 SV% and 2.11 GAA, Bobrovsky has been a force throughout the playoffs. It helps that Florida’s defense plays such a physical and formidable brand of hockey, but he’s saved 372 of 408 shot attempts and boasts three shutouts across a 17-game sample. The Ice Cats’ defense will work to limit their opponents’ high-volume approach, however, Bobrovsky should still see plenty of save opportunities with such formidable threats like McDavid and Draisaitl shooting the puck his way. Over 24.5 saves feels good here.
Leon Draisaitl 3+ shots on goal (-145)
One of the most formidable puck-shooters in the league, Draisaitl seems to always find the back of the net when it matters most. He’s quick, he’s creative, and he’s scary as hell for opposing goaltenders to face.
The German leads the Oilers with seven goals this postseason (tied with Corey Perry) and he’ll certainly be trusted to carry the load alongside McDavid. While a lethal shooter from close range, Draisaitl isn’t afraid to let it fly from a distance and still delivers the disc with surgical accuracy. He’s logged at least three shots in eight of 16 postseason games. With the chance to jump out to a 1-0 series lead, watch for him to take plenty more shots in the first game of these Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Aleksander Barkov over 20:30 time on ice (-115)
The heartbeat of this Panthers squad, Barkov plays an integral role as his team’s first-line center and captain. He’s got 17 points in 17 games this postseason and can be trusted to deliver in big moments, but what does his playing time look like?
Barkov only averages 19:24 of action across these playoffs, which makes it seem like the under is the better bet. However, all bets are off given the stakes of this Stanley Cup Final matchup. The Panthers are the NHL’s deepest team, but in a crucial Game 1, I fully expect them to keep their stars on the ice more than in past rounds. Keeping up with the Oilers isn’t an easy task by any means, so it feels like Barkov should go over this 20:30 mark as Florida hunts for an opening-game win.
