22h ago
Morning Coffee: Can McDavid, Oilers flip the script with a win in Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final?
After combining for three goals and nine points in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton’s superstar tandem of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl was shut out with a combined minus-3 rating in a 6-1 loss in Game 3. This is the Morning Coffee for Thursday June 12th, 2025.
The Oklahoma City Thunder opened as one of the biggest favourites in NBA Finals history at FanDuel.
If they don’t figure out how to handle their business on the road and fast, they could end up on the wrong side of one of the greatest upsets ever.
The Thunder were bet up from -3.5 to -5.5 for Game 3 of the NBA Finals at FanDuel.
OKC closed as the biggest road NBA Finals favourite since 2001 and the third-biggest NBA Finals favourite all-time.
The Indiana Pacers beat them 116-107 as a +184 ML underdog to take a 2-1 series lead.
With the loss, the Thunder fall to 0-8 against the spread on the road this postseason.
Can OKC bounce back in Game 4 in Indiana on Friday?
The betting public is banking on it.
After failing to cover in eight straight road playoff games, the Thunder opened -6 for Game 4 at FanDuel.
The NBA Playoffs zig-zag theory is one reason for it.
NBA teams coming off a loss this postseason have gone a combined 43-22 ATS – a 66 per cent win rate.
Unfortunately for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company, that number includes last night’s loss, which has Indiana up 2-1 in the series.
The Pacers, which could be found as high as +6500 to win the NBA championship entering the postseason, had their title odds cut from +480 to +190 last night.
That slash represents a significant jump from a 17.2 per cent chance to a 34.5 per cent implied win probability.
After winning two of the first three in the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton and company have more than enough confidence to carry Indiana to an NBA championship.
SGA and the Thunder need an appropriate response.
If they don’t rise to the occasion on the road in Game 4, they’ll find themselves in a seemingly insurmountable hole facing elimination down 3-1 in the NBA Finals.
Speaking of rising to the occasion, the outlook is similar for the Edmonton Oilers, which are staring down a 3-1 series deficit on the road entering Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight.
Like the Thunder, the Oilers can reduce their series to a best-of-three with the home advantage if they win their next game on the road.
Unlike OKC, Edmonton is a considerable underdog for Game 4, with some lingering injury concerns that could impact their ability to level the series.
This is the Morning Coffee for Thursday June 12th, 2025.
Can McDavid, Oilers Flip The Script With A Win In Game 4 Of Stanley Cup Final?
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl rank 1-2 in NHL scoring with 31 and 29 points, respectively, in these Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After combining for three goals and nine points in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton’s superstar tandem was shut out with a combined minus-3 rating in a 6-1 loss in Game 3.
McDavid failed to record a point for the first time since a 1-0 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of their second round series.
Draisaitl failed to register a single shot attempt in playoff game for just the second time in his career and the first time since 2017.
How will McDavid and Draisaitl respond in Game 4?
Game 3 marked just the 13th time that superstar tandem has failed to register a single point between them.
The Oilers have gone a combined 2-11 in those 13 games.
After closing +120 to win Game 3 on the road, Edmonton is an even bigger underdog at +126 to win Game 4.
With Zach Hyman out and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins dealing with a lingering injury, a tough task becomes even more difficult as McDavid and Draisaitl look to bounce back.
Of course, standing in their way is Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced in Game 3.
Bobrovsky’s .916 save percentage in these Stanley Cup Playoffs ranks second among starting goaltenders behind only Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals.
He’s already made 168 more saves than Stuart Skinner, including 116 saves in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final.
Somehow, Bobrovsky’s odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy have lengthened at FanDuel, climbing from +340 to +1200 as the fifth choice on the board.
A big part of the equation has been Sam Bennett’s emergence as the NHL’s leading scorer with 14 goals.
Bennett, who could be found as high as +11000 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at FanDuel when the Florida Panthers trailed the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in their second round series.
Bennett was +3900 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy entering the Stanley Cup Final.
After scoring four goals in the first three games of the series, Bennett is now the favourite to win that award this morning at -120 odds.
It’s the first time that somebody other than McDavid has been the Conn Smythe Trophy favourite since Mikko Rantanen was the top choice after Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
Of course, Bennett has been the best of a very balanced attack for the Panthers this postseason.
While we’ve seen some lineup movement, Florida’s projected second line for Game 4 that features Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk, and Evan Rodrigues has combined for 21 goals in these Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The top line of Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, and Carter Verhaeghe has combined for 18 goals.
The third line of Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, and Eetu Luostarinen has combined for 17 goals.
Meanwhile, the defence core has combined for 18 goals.
That kind of balance is without parallel in the NHL and it’s the biggest reason why the Panthers are two wins away from repeating as the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs.
Can McDavid and Draisaitl rise to the occasion and find a way to upset Florida in its own building tonight?
If the Oilers can’t slow down the Cats balanced attack, it might take a superhuman effort from 97 and 29 to have a chance to even the series.
All the momentum is on Panthers side right now.
If Edmonton can steal a win in Florida tonight, they could flip the script with home-ice advantage for a Stanley Cup Final that would be reduced to a best-of-three.
In terms of a FanDuel Best Bet, we can forget getting Evan Bouchard 3+ shots on goal at plus-money for the rest of the series.
I jumped on Bouchard 3+ shots on goal at -148.
That number is long gone with 3+ shots at -210.
I do see Bouchard 4+ shots on goal at +120.
Bouchard 5+ shots on goal is +265.
He hit that mark in the first period of Game 3 and has led all skaters in shots on goal in each of the first three games of the series with seven, eight, and nine.
Shall we attempt to climb the ladder one more time?
Meanwhile, Bobrovsky’s saves prop has climbed by one from 25.5 to 26.5 at FanDuel this morning.
After registering 42, 42, and 32 saves in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final, 27 saves against a desperate Edmonton team seems reasonable tonight.
I’ll go with Bouchard 4+ shots on goal at +120 as a FanDuel Best Bet.
Hopefully, he can get us there in the first five minutes the way that he did in Game 3.
I’ll also play 5+ shots on goal and lock in the over on the Bobrovsky saves prop.
Make sure you give me a follow @Domenic_Padula on X for my full card for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Have a great day, everyone!