Sophomore sensation carries load for Oilers
Not only does Edmonton boast the NHL’s leading scorer in Connor McDavid, but it features arguably the hottest netminder on the planet.
That’s a sobering thought for Florida, which must visit Alberta tonight. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the Oilers odds of -180 to take care of business at home. Conversely, the Panthers enter Rogers Place as +160 underdogs.
In just his second season, McDavid has 14 goals and 37 assists through 46 games. Slightly more surprising is the sudden brilliance of Cam Talbot. The 29-year-old journeyman’s allowed a mere four tallies in his past three starts — all Edmonton wins.
Florida’s No. 1 option between the pipes knows a thing or two about prolific runs. On Tuesday, four-time All-Star Roberto Luongo suffered only his third loss of 2017. Calgary coasted to a 5-2 victory over the Panthers, with Luongo surrendering four goals on 28 shots.
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Whether the Montreal native gets an opportunity to bounce back this evening remains to be seen. Still, the road squad seems ill-equipped to handle the Oilers’ array of upper-echelon forwards here. In addition to McDavid, Patrick Maroon and Leon Draisaitl have combined for 35 markers. That kind of firepower won’t go quietly.
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