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Oilers vs. Panthers Prediction & Odds Game 3: Stanley Cup Final Expert Picks

Gary Pearson

Last Updated: June 11, 2024 6:27 PM EDT • 2 min 63 sec read.

Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour and Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane fight as Gary Pearson offers Game 3 prediction for Thursday's tilt between the Panthers and Oilers.
Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour and Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane fight during the third period in Game 2 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Photo by Jim Rassol via USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers return home after digging themselves a hole deep enough to build a subway station as we dive into our Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final Game 3 prediction based on the top NHL odds. 

While not officially a must-win scenario, the Edmonton Oilers will have a better chance of winning Euro 2024 than the Stanley Cup Final if they drop Game 3 in Edmonton. The Florida Panthers dispatched the Oilers with a 4-1 win in Game 2 and take their 2-0 series lead north of the border for Game 3, which starts at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday (ABC).

The Oilers are the consensus favorites at Betway and across our best sports betting sites for Game 3, while the Panthers are, according to the Stanley Cup odds, massive favorites to hoist their first Holy Grail. 

Our Panthers vs. Oilers prediction for Game 3 discuss why the Oilers are primed and ready for a bounce-back performance. We also broke down the game through our Panthers vs. Oilers player props and Panthers vs. Oilers parlay.

Panthers vs. Oilers Game 3 prediction

Odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.

Oilers ML ⭐⭐⭐⭐

First and foremost, I must get something off my chest. I don't like that the Oilers are -135 favorites despite being down 0-2 in the Stanley Cup Final. While home-ice advantage carries a lot of weight, it shouldn't be as hefty as a jumbo jet.

Having gotten that bugbear off my chest, I will back the Oilers anyway. Why? Well, they're at home; they're as desperate as a gaggle of geese are to get south when winter hits; and because they're too good to lose three straight playoff games, even with Florida executing at a nearly unmatchable level. 

The Oilers haven't lost three consecutive playoff encounters since being swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021-22 Western Conference Final. A change of scenery, like the geese venturing south, should help the Oilers reset. And what better place to reset than at Rogers Place, where they had the second-best regular-season home record (tied with the New York Rangers)?

Home cooking is exactly what the Oilers require

After starting the postseason with a 2-2 record, the Oilers have won four of the last five and two in a row in the friendly, raucous confines of Rogers Place.

The Panthers have won six of eight on the road in the postseason, making the task even more challenging for Kris Knoblauch and Co. However, Knoblauch should be able to take advantage of having the last change, helping separate Connor McDavid from his unrelenting and effective shadow, Aleksander Barkov.

That's if Barkov can shake off the Game 2 injury he suffered in time to suit up for Thursday's pivotal encounter. If Barkov does play, McDavid will hope that the last change will be as effective as a perfectly executed exorcism, detaching the Oilers' captain from his possessor.  

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Game 3 key stats

Statistic (per game)Oilers at homeOilers on the road
Goals scored4.002.55
McDavid points2.111.18
Bouchard points2.000.91
Hyman points1.110.73
Power-play success rate38.5%28.1%

The Oilers are 6-3 at home and 6-5 on the road during the 2024 playoffs. However, their home and away records don't do the discrepancy justice. Game 6 against the Dallas Stars aside, the Oilers are more free-flowing and enterprising on home ice. McDavid and Bouchard are notably more productive, and so are most of the Oilers' forwards.

While overturning the 0-2 series deficit could be a mountain too steep, I feel the Oilers will again prove why they're so formidable on home ice. Expect Edmonton's best performance of the Stanley Cup Final thus far, which should be enough to secure their first win on this stage since 2006. 

Panthers vs. Oilers Game 3 odds

Panthers vs. Oilers Game 3 info

  • When: Thursday, June 13
  • Puck drop: 8 p.m. ET
  • Where: Rogers Place (Edmonton, Alberta)
  • How to watch: ABC, Sportsnet
  • Favorite: Oilers ()

Oilers-Panthers predictions made Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET.

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Written By:
Gary Pearson
Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.