Top Shelf Pick: Best NHL Bets Today (Can Panthers Close Out Stanley Cup Final Tonight?)

Iain MacMillan | Jun 18, 2024

Jun 15, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) collides during the third period in game four of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports / Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers' season has been extended by at least one game and so has the 2023-24 edition of Top Shelf Picks.

It once again could be the final NHL game for us to watch and bet on until next fall so let's try to make the most of it. In this article, I'm going to break down my best bet for the side and total as well as my favorite player prop.

Let's dive into it.

All bets in this article are available at DraftKings Sportsbook

Best NHL Bets Today

• Panthers -140
• OVER 5.5 (-105)
• Sergei Bobrovsky OVER 25.5 saves (+100)

Oilers vs. Panthers Prediction

I broke down why I'm batting the Panthers to close out the series tonight in my full betting preview, which you can read here.

"We, as bettors, need to put the Game 4 blowout out of our mind and focus on the fact the Florida Panthers have been the better team this series. A mental lapse when you're playing in Edmonton with a 3-0 series lead can be understood, but now that they're back on their home ice with a chance to lift the Cup, I doubt it'll happen again.

"Even with the Oilers 8-1 blowout win on Saturday, both teams are averaging the same amount of goals per game at 3.0 and the Oilers have only a slight advantage in expected goals, 3.29 per 60 minutes to 3.18.

"Despite his bad performance in Game 4, Sergei Bobrovsky is the goalie you want to trust in a big spot with everything on the line. Stuart Skinner? Not so much.

"The Oilers have to play a near-perfect game to beat the Panthers when Bobrovsky is locked in so if you're backing Edmonton, you're either hoping for a perfect performance or for Bobrovsky to have a second-straight bad start.

"I feel much more comfortable backing the Panthers, who with all things even, are the better team in this series."

Pick: Panthers -140

Oilers vs. Panthers Total Bet

The Oilers had been largely playing a defensive style of hockey at the beginning of the series. It had worked against the Dallas Stars but it clearly wasn't the answer against the Florida Panthers. It's tough to win games playing that style when the opposing team also plays lockdown defense. Then, it becomes a battle of goaltending, which is one the Panthers will win nine times out of ten.

Edmonton then changed its style of play and is now trying to turn this series into a shootout. Yes, they're going to allow more high-danger scoring chances than they did early in the series, but now they can open up their offense and try to win chaotic high-scoring games.

That's why I backed the OVER last game and the Oilers hit that total on their own and it didn't take long. I expect Edmonton to use the same strategy tonight and whether or not it results in another Edmonton win is yet to be seen, but I think it will result in another high-scoring game.

Pick: OVER 5.5 (-105)

Oilers vs. Panthers Player Prop

You can go ahead and read the reasoning for my two picks above and it's easy to deduce that my favorite player prop for this game is going to be Sergei Bobrovsky saves. The Oilers are going to put it all on the line with an all-out offensive attack. Whether they find the back of the net is one thing, but one thing I can guarantee is there's going to be plenty of shots on goal.

As long as Bobrovsky doesn't get yanked for the second-straight game, he's going to be busy from the opening puck drop until the final buzzer.

Pick: Sergei Bobrovsky OVER 25.5 saves (+100)

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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