If you’d heard before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final that the matchup would end in a 6-1 drubbing, would you have believed the Florida Panthers would come out on top? The Ice Cats got under the Edmonton Oilers’ skin early, played their game by aggravating opponents at every turn, and generally just dismantled Connor McDavid and Co. with ease.
Thursday’s Game 4 might not be as easy, but with a 2-1 series lead and all the momentum in the world, the Panthers head into the action with all signs pointing toward a possible Stanley Cup repeat. Will they take firm control of the series at 3-1, or can the Oilers battle back to tie things up at 2-2?
Check out this Panthers vs. Oilers Game 4 prediction and pick for Thursday night’s next Stanley Cup Final matchup.
Panthers vs. Oilers Game 4 prediction, preview
The result of Monday’s Game 3 was admittedly a shocking one, even for NHL fans who expected the Panthers to come out on top. While heading back in front of the home fans pointed toward a bounce back to Florida’s usual style of play, a 3-2 finish felt realistic rather than the actual 6-1 final. The Oilers left the matchup totally rattled.
That’s just what the Panthers do, though — they’re physical both during and after the play, so when things get chippy, it almost always ends in Florida’s favor. Some minor antics included Jake Walman spraying water at the Panthers’ bench, AJ Greer ripping off and throwing Walman’s glove, and Brad Marchand yelling for the Oilers to use their heads and avoid taking penalties. The festivities culminated in a full-on line brawl in the final period, marking some truly glorious hockey for die-hard puck heads.
The undisciplined play led to 140 combined penalty minutes in Game 3, the fourth-most in Stanley Cup history. Sky-high tensions will almost certainly ride into Game 4, meaning both sides need to keep their cool and refrain from taking unnecessary penalties and going down a man. In fact, the winner might just be decided by this factor.
Panthers vs. Oilers Game 4 pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Panthers as -155 Moneyline favorites on their home ice, while the Oilers are +130 underdogs to take an outright victory. The total remains set at 6.5 goals, a mark notably exceeded in all three games of the series so far.
It’s unlikely that the Oilers only net one goal again as they did in Game 3, so this should be a closer affair. Notably, neither of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl recorded a single point last time out, so this trend definitely won’t continue for a couple of the playoffs’ points leaders.
However, the Oilers may have a problem between the posts. Stuart Skinner performed admirably during the Western Conference Final, but the Florida offense looks like a different story here. He posted save percentages of .906, .881, and .783 across the first three contests of this series before being pulled from Game 3. Skinner is a very hot-and-cold goaltender, and if his confidence has taken a hit, Florida might be able to run away with Game 4.
Edmonton should put up a better fight on Thursday, but retaking the momentum in this series looks like it may require a Herculean effort. I still feel very comfortable taking the Panthers to win outright without overtime once again just as I did in Game 3. Not only are they a deeper, better team, but they’re even better at the mind games it requires to gain an extra edge.
