Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers Game 1 Prediction, Odds & Picks (Saturday, June 8)

• The Edmonton Oilers battle the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final
• We’ve made our Oilers vs Panthers prediction for Saturday’s NHL game
• Read below for Oilers vs Panthers Game 1 prediction, odds, and expert picks

The 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers is set to begin on Saturday night in Sunrise. Game 1 puck drop is set for 8:00 PM ET at Amtrak Bank Arena, with ABC carrying the broadcast.

Oddsmakers are favoring the home team in this game, pricing the Cats as notable favorites over the Oilers. We’ve made our Oilers vs Panthers prediction for Saturday night to help you place an educated wager on the game.

Let’s delve into the NHL betting odds for the Stanley Cup Final and offer you our Game 1 picks.

Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers Game 1 Odds

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Odds as of June 7, 2024, at ESPN Sportsbook. Claim the ESPN Bet promo code to bet on Oilers vs Panthers Stanley Cup Final. 

Panthers Favored Over Oilers in Game 1 Odds

The Florida Panthers are favored to win the Stanley Cup, so it’s no surprise they’re also favored to take Game 1. Oddsmakers are pricing Florida as the -140 favorite over the Oilers on Saturday, which is a 58.3% implied win probability.

The Edmonton Oilers are betting underdogs for the second series in a row after being projected to lose against Dallas in the Western Conference Final. Edmonton is a +120 moneyline underdog for the Cup Final opener, which is a 45.5% implied win probability.

"It’s going to be another amazing challenge for us to go through."

Skinner speaks as the #Oilers prepare for the Stanley Cup Final vs. the Panthers. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/ccYALv6veQ

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 7, 2024

Oddsmakers favor the Cats on Saturday due to the team’s home-ice advantage and stellar defense. Florida has won seven of their nine home games this postseason, forcing overtime in one of the two losses. The Panthers have allowed just 2.29 goals per game compared to 2.61 for the Oilers.

Offensively, Edmonton has the edge, averaging 3.50 goals per game and converting on a league-best 37.3% of their power plays. However, Florida’s penalty kill is superb at 88.2% (2nd) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (.908 sv%) has outplayed Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner (.897 sv%).

In the Conn Smythe odds and predictions, Connor McDavid is the top betting choice at +200. However, Bobrovsky and Selke winner Aleksander Barkov aren’t far behind, as these two will be tasked with shutting down the Oilers’ elite top line.

Oilers vs Panthers Game 1 Prediction

We’re backing the Cats in our Oilers vs Panthers series odds and prediction, so we’re going to stick with them in the series opener. Paul Maurice’s club is on a stellar run when favored. The Panthers are 21-5 as a favorite between -110 to -150, showcasing they are typically deserving of their short odds.

"When we started this year, we didn't say, 'We're not talking about last year.' We're gonna take everything we possibly can, what we learned from last year."

– @FlaPanthers head coach Paul Maurice on the team's internal improvements setting up consecutive #StanleyCup Finals pic.twitter.com/0AwXIy5bbT

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) June 7, 2024

We forecast a game on Saturday that is somewhat similar to the one we saw in Game 1 between Florida and New York. The Panthers’ defense stole the show on that night, holding the Rangers to just 24 shots in a 3-0 shutout victory.

Skinner has a save percentage above .900 at home this season, but that number drops to .894 on the road. The Panthers have a sour taste in their mouth from last year’s Final, and we think they set the tone for the series with a low-scoring victory in Game 1.

EDM-FLA Game 1 Picks:

• Panthers ML (-135 at BetMGM Best Odds)