The Florida Panthers are aiming to increase their series lead as they host the Edmonton Oilers for Game 4 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on Thursday. While the Oilers secured an overtime victory in Game 1 on their home ice, the Panthers have since seized control of the series with two consecutive wins. Notably, in Monday`s Game 3, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves, and six different Florida players found the back of the net en route to a dominant 6-1 win.
Puck drop for Game 4 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. According to the latest odds from BetMGM Sportsbook, Florida is favored on the money line at -153, meaning a $153 wager would win $100. Edmonton enters as the underdog at +128, where a $100 bet could return $128. The over/under for the total number of goals scored is set at 6.0, and the Panthers are favored on the puck line at -1.5 with odds of +164. SportsLine`s top NHL expert, Matt Severance, who boasts an impressive 160-85-9 record on his recent NHL picks, has analyzed this matchup.
Why Consider Backing the Oilers?
Edmonton has not lost three consecutive games since a regular-season skid in early February. Furthermore, they have dropped two games in a row only once throughout the 2025 NHL playoffs, responding each time with a strong bounce-back performance, including a convincing 7-4 win against the Los Angeles Kings. History also favors the Oilers in this specific scenario, as they hold a 7-2 record in all Game 4s dating back to 2022. For superstar Connor McDavid, Game 3 marked only the third time in these playoffs he was held without a point. He has a history of following such games with multi-point efforts and is expected to push hard in Game 4 to prevent his team from falling into a daunting 3-1 series hole.
Why Consider Backing the Panthers?
It`s challenging to bet against a home team with significant momentum, which perfectly describes the Florida Panthers right now. While Games 1 and 2 were close, one-goal contests that could potentially have gone either way, Game 3 was firmly dominated by Florida. Key offensive players helped the Panthers record their 11th game this postseason scoring five or more goals. Florida also holds an advantage in the goaltending department. Sergei Bobrovsky has faced a total of 116 shots over three games but was particularly sharp in Game 3, allowing only a single goal. In contrast, Edmonton`s Stuart Skinner was pulled from Monday`s game after surrendering five goals on 23 shots. Expert Matt Severance commented on Skinner`s performance: “Skinner has run very hot and cold this postseason, and the cold version is in the crease right now.” This raises questions about who will start in net for Edmonton in Game 4, potentially Calvin Pickard, who allowed one goal on eight shots in relief during Game 3 but hasn`t started a game in a month.
Matt Severance has finalized his prediction for the Oilers vs. Panthers Game 4 matchup. While he is leaning towards the Over on the total goals, he highlights a crucial X-factor that makes one particular side a must-back selection.
