Following a decisive 5-2 victory in Game 5 on Saturday, the Florida Panthers are now just one win away from securing their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. Brad Marchand, a veteran acquired during the season, contributed his ninth and tenth goals of the playoffs, bringing Florida closer to clinching the title. The Panthers have outscored the Oilers 23-16 in the series and could have potentially swept if they hadn`t surrendered leads in Games 1 and 4, both resulting in overtime losses.
Game 6 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. According to the latest odds, the Panthers are favored at -146 (requiring a $146 wager to win $100), while the Oilers are the underdogs at +122 (a $100 wager wins $122). The total goals over/under is set at 6.5. For expert insights before making any bets, consider the Game 6 NHL score prediction from expert Eric Cohen.
Eric Cohen, a recognized sports expert, has a strong track record, including successful golf picks and high rankings in college football predictions. He has placed a series wager on the Oilers to win the Cup at -120 odds.
Here are Cohen`s top Panthers vs. Oilers picks for Game 6:
- Panthers -1.5 goals (+170)
- Over 6.5 goals (-102)
- Sam Bennett to score (+180)
- Panthers vs. Oilers score prediction: Panthers 6, Oilers 3
Eric Cohen`s Analysis: After watching five games, it`s clear that Florida is simply the superior team. Despite my previous inclination towards Edmonton, I find it difficult to envision the Panthers losing Game 6 at home in front of their fans at Amerant Bank Arena. Frankly, Florida could have easily swept this series, as Edmonton`s two wins seemed somewhat fortunate. Although the Oilers boast two elite players in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Florida possesses a significantly more balanced roster and a superior goaltender in Sergei Bobrovsky. I anticipate Florida establishing another two-goal lead in Game 6, similar to what they`ve done in four of the five games, and maintaining control. Given that every game in this series has featured at least seven goals, betting the under seems unadvisable. Expect Edmonton to likely pull their goalie late, allowing Florida to potentially add an empty-net goal or two to seal the win. A Panthers center is the odds-on favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, having scored 14 goals, including five in this series. Based on this, betting the over and Florida to cover the puck line at +170 are strong picks as they aim to secure their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
