The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are positioned for a Stanley Cup Final rematch after both teams took commanding 3-1 series leads this week.
Edmonton defeated Dallas 5-2 on Tuesday to move within one win of returning to the finals. The Panthers can clinch their second consecutive Cup Final appearance Wednesday night in Carolina.
Neither series is finished.
The Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes still have mathematical chances to force Game 7s. NHL history shows 32 teams have erased 3-1 deficits since 1942.
The most recent comeback came from Florida itself. The Panthers stunned the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins in the first round last spring after trailing 3-1.
Current Betting Odds Tell the Story
TheScore Bet/ESPN Bet lists Carolina at +750 odds (11.8% implied probability) to complete the comeback. Dallas sits at +600 (14.3% implied probability) to extend their season.
Those numbers translate to roughly 26% combined probability that either team reaches the Stanley Cup Final.
It’s not the lock many expect it to be.
Wednesday’s Pivotal Games
Carolina hosts Florida in what’s essentially a coin flip. The moneyline sits at -110 for both teams.
Dallas gets a slight edge as -125 home favorites for Thursday’s Game 5 against Edmonton.
Both games are elimination scenarios for the trailing teams.
Stanley Cup Betting Implications
For comeback believers: Dallas offers +1400 Stanley Cup odds while Carolina sits at +1600. Those numbers would shift dramatically closer to even money if either team wins three straight.
For rematch supporters: Edmonton and Florida both carry +110 championship odds. Those prices will shorten significantly if both teams advance as expected.
The betting markets reflect what many hockey fans are thinking. A repeat of last year’s seven-game thriller between Edmonton and Florida feels likely.
But the Stars and Hurricanes each have their own compelling reasons to believe they can they can author different endings to their respective series.
