It’s crunch time in the Stanley Cup Final, as the series is now a best-of-three with the Edmonton Oilers having home ice advantage.
The pregame narrative: Saturday’s Game 5 at Rogers Place is a pick’em, which makes sense, considering how tightly contested this series has been. The Florida Panthers have been dynamite on the road these playoffs and look to take advantage of a goaltender controversy on the other end.
Check out my Panthers vs. Oilers SGP predictions, featuring Leon Draisaitl and Sam Bennett.
Panthers vs. Oilers predictions
Parlay: Panthers +1.5 | Bennett to score | Draisaitl 1+ points (+320)
Panthers +1.5 (-275): Florida has to be feeling good about where it’s at despite losing Game 4 in overtime.
- The reigning champs are 9-3 on the road this postseason, averaging 4.66 goals in those contests.
- The Panthers are 5-1 following a loss in the playoffs, allowing an average of 2.8 goals in those contests.
Edmonton is at its best on home ice, but nothing comes easy against Florida. Paul Maurice’s group has covered a +1.5 puck line in all 12 road games and has only lost in regulation once in its last 10.
Also, how can you not feel better about the Panthers’ goaltending situation?
Stuart Skinner was pulled in Game 4, and it’s unclear whether he or Calvin Pickard will start on Saturday.
Sergei Bobrovsky, meanwhile, hasn’t been at his best, but he’s still a two-time Vezina winner with a Stanley Cup pedigree. I expect him to be sharp and for Florida to keep this close.
NHL SGP legs
Bennett to score (+155): Bennett is favoured to win the Conn Smythe Trophy thanks to his elite production on the road.
The second-line centre leads the Panthers in road goals (12) and points (15) in the playoffs and has scored in five straight road games.
Overall, he’s 10-2 vs. this prop away from Amerant Bank Arena.
Bennett paces Florida in shots (48), chances (92), scoring chances (54), and xG (5.41) this postseason, according to Natural Stat Trick.
To me, it doesn’t matter if Skinner or Pickard starts. I expect Bennett to be a pest in front of the net and make noise yet again.
Draisaitl 1+ points (-455): There’s no such thing as a “free” leg in sports betting, but backing Draisaitl to record a point feels pretty safe.
- Draisaitl has 32 points this postseason and has found the stat sheet in 17 of 20 games.
- He ranks fifth all-time in playoff points per game (1.489), just behind McDavid.
- The German winger has three straight multi-point games at Rogers Place.
Edmonton’s power play has been cooking, and Draisaitl has been at the forefront of it all with a PP point in eight of his last nine games. He should make an impact tonight.
Panthers vs. Oilers predictions made at 11:02 a.m. ET 06/14/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.