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00:00The start of the Stanley Cup Final has been unreal.
00:03Yes, it has been quite some time since we saw some action on the ice.
00:07But the opening two games of this 2025 Stanley Cup Final, of course, a rematch of last year
00:13in 2024 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers has absolutely delivered.
00:20Both games going to at least one overtime session.
00:24In game number two, saw two OTs in which Brad Marchand won it for Florida in that second
00:31OT with his second goal of the game.
00:34The trade deadline acquisition for the reigning champs after the first 16 years of his career,
00:41all with the Boston Bruins.
00:43He has delivered in a large and significant way for Florida.
00:47DRS, the Panthers take game number two up in Edmonton in that second overtime, winning
00:53five to four.
00:55Brad Marchand scoring twice.
00:57That also included the 40-year-old Corey Perry scoring a goal to equalize in regulation
01:02with only 18 seconds left.
01:05What a start to the 2025 Cup Final we have seen between these very two familiar foes.
01:11I love it.
01:12It's so like overtime hockey is fantastic.
01:15Playoff overtime hockey is even better.
01:18Stanley Cup Final overtime hockey doesn't get any better than that.
01:22And you just got back-to-back games to start the finals with overtime games where each
01:27team won one of those.
01:28So now it's not 2-0 going back.
01:30What could have been?
01:30It's 1-1 heading back to Florida in a rematch of what we saw last year in the Stanley Cup
01:35Finals.
01:36And also, Ben, these aren't 1-0 games.
01:38It's like, oh man, great goaltending.
01:39You are getting unbelievable scoring opportunities from those talented players on the planet.
01:44And they are performing.
01:45This is exactly what hockey fans want.
01:47And it makes me angry as a Flyers fan that I don't get to enjoy this type of hockey in
01:51any realm watching home playoff games in overtime and getting excited for the next game on deck
01:56where I just have to watch from afar and be an Edmonton fan with a 3,500 miles or whatever
02:01from where I'm living at this point.
02:03But my goodness, if you can't enjoy hockey and watch these two teams play the type of brand
02:08of hockey they're playing, you just can never be a hockey fan at this point.
02:11It's been sensational and exceeding expectations through just two games.
02:17DRS, we have said it a few times.
02:19If you have allegiances to any of these two franchises, the Panthers and the Oilers,
02:24I'm not sure how you have survived the first two games of this series without your heart rate
02:30absolutely skipping off the charts.
02:32But if you are just a casual hockey fan, a casual fan of sports who enjoys the best players,
02:38the best teams on the biggest stages, then what a treat the Stanley Cup final has been so far.
02:45So the Panthers take back home ice advantage, winning 5-4 in two OTs in game number two.
02:52The Panthers, as we get ready for our first game in Sunrise DRS on this Monday,
02:58are now the slight, slight favorites to win Lord Stanley's Cup.
03:02To keep it from Canada and to bring it back to Sunrise for a second consecutive year.
03:08Minus 115, now that outright Florida money line price to hoist the Cup for a second consecutive season.
03:16Of course, Edmonton was an ever-so-slight minus 125 favorite entering this set,
03:22around a minus 225 price after winning game number one.
03:27Now as we head back to Florida for game three tonight, the Panthers, that slight favorite.
03:32Yeah, we had Chris Meany on with us last week, too.
03:34He was like, well, this is a great buy-in spot here for the Florida Panthers.
03:37It was like, they lost one game, and then you're saying to yourself, like,
03:39oh, well, they're getting plus 185 or so now at this point.
03:42They can certainly win game number two, and if they do, you're going to get such a better price point
03:46than what you could have had.
03:47And then you see now the numbers where the Panthers are a slight favorite
03:50because they have home ice advantage back in their corner, and it's a minus 115 price.
03:53So now the question would be now is, is it a good time to buy in for the Edmonton Oilers?
03:58I don't think so.
03:58I just think it was a great buy-in point for the Panthers.
04:01Even if they did lose game number two, you know, even saying, you know what,
04:04maybe they're getting 3-1 at this point, buy back in because there's a legitimate chance
04:08that they can win both of those games back on their home ice,
04:11and you have a crazy good number moving forward at a series tied 2-2.
04:14We'll see, but this series has provided everything you need.
04:17It's just a factor of matters.
04:18I don't know if Edmonton I want to buy back in on just yet.
04:22Maybe it's like, okay, let Edmonton lose another game and say, all right,
04:25must win game number four.
04:26They're getting a great price now.
04:28Buy back on them.
04:28So I look at this and say, it's not a time necessarily to buy on Florida,
04:32but I don't want to buy on Edmonton with the same vibes that I really wanted to buy
04:35on Florida after game number one.
04:38Here's what I want to buy, and here's what I am still hoping for.
04:41A Stanley Cup last year, of course, that went to seven games,
04:45but in a drastically different way.
04:46Florida opened up a 3-0 series lead.
04:49Edmonton fought all the way back to force that seventh game.
04:52This feels like we're going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth,
04:55DRS to see the full distance.
04:57Seven games now is plus 125.
05:00It was plus 165 entering this series.
05:03Game three tonight in Sunrise, Florida a minus 142.
05:08Home money line, favorite line, working a little bit to the Panthers.
05:12Total still six and a half.
05:14We have gone over in each of the first two, but in overtime.
05:17Live right here on the early line on SportsGrid, it is a Monday,
05:22and that means one thing above all else, the prop perspective.
05:26From TV, Tom Vecchio of SportsGrid here on this Monday.
05:31The jack of all trades.
05:32He will react to what we saw in the NBA Finals in game number two last night,
05:36but maybe more importantly, he'll set the stage for game number three
05:39tonight of the Stanley Cup Final, our first one in Sunrise.
05:44As after the Panthers take game two in thrilling double overtime fashion,
05:48courtesy of Brad Marchand in that second game,
05:51to equalize at one game all in the Cup Final.
05:54Vecchio, you are a busy man on Pro Baseball today,
05:58yesterday at 10 a.m. Eastern time with Donnie Wrightson.
06:01I think you were on Betting Above the Rim on Saturday,
06:04live in studio in Bellworks as well.
06:06How does a man that has so much content to do for the SpizGrid Network
06:10stay fueled throughout the weekend?
06:13How do you keep that energy high?
06:15Lots and lots of caffeine, like an unhealthy amount of caffeine on a daily basis,
06:19like six to 800 milligrams of caffeine every day.
06:24And then you're good to go.
06:25You can do anything.
06:27Caffeine and then what are you ingesting?
06:30What are you consuming in terms of the macros?
06:33Pizza, rice, pasta, beef, chicken maybe, and that's it.
06:41And we can move on.
06:43Yeah.
06:43Was that fourth one correct, D.R.S.?
06:46Fourth one, he said beef.
06:48Oh!
06:49Yesterday we heard that Vecchio was a chicken guy.
06:51Wow.
06:53Wow.
06:53That's, where did, who got that picture?
06:55That's your accurate height.
06:56That is your accurate height as well.
06:58Oh!
07:00That's a good, that's a great picture.
07:03Yeah, that's a pretty good one right there.
07:06That's a good one.
07:07Yeah, that's good.
07:07If you want to have extra ad money right there, there you go, man.
07:11I like that.
07:12I like that.
07:13That looks like it could have been all the way.
07:15Did he have Jordans on the first one when he was riding the chicken?
07:20Look at that.
07:20They could go for some 12s.
07:22They could go for some 12s right there, right?
07:24Yeah.
07:25Jordan 12s?
07:27Come on.
07:28Wow.
07:28When did you see that, Donnie, and think those were Jordans?
07:32Like, you quickly look over your right monitor.
07:34Yeah, like your blue band around.
07:36Like, is it the 11s?
07:37Is it the 11s or 12s?
07:38Oh.
07:38That didn't look like that.
07:39Oh, you're talking about Vecchio's legs.
07:40I thought you meant the bottom of the chicken.
07:42Yeah.
07:42Yeah, those kind of do look like Jordans.
07:44Excuse me.
07:44No, hold on.
07:44You're looking at Jordans on the chicken, Ben?
07:47Stop.
07:47Let me get out of the hand.
07:50Come on.
07:51I get that.
07:51I like that.
07:52So, I guess yesterday on Pro Baseball Today,
07:54these two hooligans were spitting about Vecchio's post-show meal,
07:58in which he said he was not going to have cheeseburgers,
08:01turkey burgers, but chicken burgers,
08:04which my co-host and Tom's co-host, Donnie Wright's side,
08:07took umbrage with.
08:08Left the feathers on it.
08:10Yeah.
08:11Listen, you just got to mix it up sometimes.
08:12We got stuff to get to.
08:14I know Donnie would love to talk about more NBA,
08:16but we're actually going to start with NHL tonight.
08:18Yeah.
08:18Aye.
08:19Yeah, we are.
08:20Listen, Vecchio, for what it's worth,
08:22I don't think ground chicken and forming it into a patty
08:24to have a chicken burger is all that crazy.
08:27The pizza thing, that's a different story for a different day.
08:30Of course, we have shared it many times.
08:31You know, I need to start making stuff up just to throw you guys off
08:35so you have no idea what's real from now on.
08:37Yeah, but we would think everything is real from now on.
08:40What we heard, you could throw it.
08:41I don't think you want to do that.
08:41I had a whale burger.
08:43Like, I bet Tom did have a whale burger yesterday.
08:45You know what I mean?
08:45I don't think that's a great strategy.
08:48You give Donnie just a little bit of fuel to the fire,
08:50or he'll run with it, like you said.
08:52But, Vecchio, we have serious things to get to,
08:54like game three of the Stanley Cup Final tonight in Sunrise.
08:59Florida wins it in double OT of game number two
09:03against Donnie's Canadian team.
09:05Brad Marchand scoring twice,
09:07including the game winner in that second overtime session.
09:10Vecchio, the Cup Final so far has been great.
09:13Game one, overtime winner, Leon Dreisaitl, puts Edmonton in front.
09:17Florida, the reigning champs respond in game two,
09:21and not one, but two overtimes.
09:24With the Panthers back at home, on home ice,
09:26around a minus 142 favorite,
09:29and a total that now stands at six and a half.
09:31What can we expect in game number three
09:34of this thrilling Cup Final to begin?
09:37I think the easy answer is, like,
09:38we're just going to continue to see more goals.
09:40And I've always talked about, like,
09:41we'll get, you know, some higher scoring games,
09:43you know, two out of the first three,
09:45three out of the first four,
09:46and then we'll start to see some really heavy unders.
09:48I don't know if that's going to be the case in this series.
09:51I think we just have to continue to roll with goals.
09:53I mean, we have five goals at the end of the first period.
09:55It's going to be five goals.
09:56No, but seeing two, maybe three goals in every first period
09:59puts this game live to hit the over,
10:02night in and night out.
10:03And as I said to Brady and Adam on Saturday night on IGL,
10:08I think this is just a spot where you just take the better odds.
10:10I'm not laying minus 140 with a team
10:12that is arguably just in a coin flip series.
10:14If we're going to be getting plus money on the Oilers money line,
10:17I'm simply going to be looking to take that.
10:19And this is just a classic zigzag,
10:20but game one, one side, game two, the other side, game three,
10:23I'm just going to take the Oilers and the plus money tonight.
10:27Yeah, it's been a fantastic series so far.
10:29I'm only two games into overtime winners here.
10:31Two different teams have won those games,
10:32which sets up game number three,
10:34which brings up to our next point here would be,
10:35if you're looking at this game and saying,
10:37I just want the plus money,
10:38you saw the way the series opened up here
10:40at the Fan Blue Sportsbook to win it.
10:41It was a favorite for Edmonton, minus 120, minus 125.
10:44After Edmonton wins game number one,
10:46they rock it up to over a $2 favorite.
10:48And that's where those price points of the Florida Panthers,
10:50plus 185, plus 190s were out there.
10:53But now we see the Panthers as the favorite of the minus 118.
10:56Nobody technically plus money.
10:58Is there a buy-in point for you tonight that says,
11:00you know what,
11:00I like the Oilers at this price
11:02or the Panthers at this price for the series itself, Tom?
11:04You know, it depends on what if,
11:07I would say it depends on what futures you have, if any.
11:10If you don't have a future,
11:11you can even wait on the series price after tonight's game.
11:15And then whoever loses,
11:17just take them at plus money for the rest of the series.
11:19Because if we expect this to bounce back and forth,
11:21you get them at plus money after tonight's game,
11:23then you can look to get in on game four,
11:24you look to hedge out, whatever it might be.
11:25So taking the plus money where it's available
11:28is the best route to go.
11:29If you think Florida wins,
11:30it's going to be Florida in seven.
11:31And just look to a direct series outcome
11:33instead of laying minus 115.
11:34And minus 115 is a very fair price
11:36or minus 104 for the Oilers, that matter.
11:38But just look for the most plus money you can get.
11:41Bounce back and forth, game to game,
11:42take a series price.
11:43And, you know, Edmonton to win four to three,
11:45whatever it might be.
11:47His Oilers are now tied in this series, Vecchio,
11:51and the slight series underdog, as we saw.
11:54But Edmonton's Connor McDavid remains the favorite
11:56to win the Conn Smythe Award at plus 105.
11:59What is your approach to the Conn Smythe Award odds
12:02now entering game three tonight in Sunrise?
12:05I, you know, I've been saying that
12:06if the Oilers win, it's going to be McDavid,
12:08but Leon Dreissel has a shot
12:10only if he continues to put up
12:12these game-winning performances.
12:14That's the only route that will give him a chance to win.
12:16Because, again, it's not just a Stanley Cup,
12:18you know, MVP award.
12:20It's in the entire playoffs.
12:21So we have to take that into consideration as well.
12:23Yeah, we certainly do.
12:25We'll get Vecchio's best bet for game number three
12:27tonight between the Panthers and the Oilers up next.
12:31Game three tonight in Sunrise of the Cup Final.
12:35A change of destination for the first time this year.
12:38But, of course, it was Florida hoisting
12:40Lord Stanley's Cup a season ago in Sunrise
12:44in South Florida against this same foe
12:47in the Edmonton Oilers.
12:48Vecchio were tied at a game apiece.
12:51Both games have seen at least one overtime.
12:54Game two, we got two.
12:56It has been a thrilling Stanley Cup Final to begin
12:59with Florida a minus 142.
13:02Moneyline favorite tonight.
13:04In the total now standing at six and a half.
13:07What is your approach to game three?
13:09What is that best bet?
13:11Minus 142 is a bit much for me.
13:12It really is.
13:13Just like I said in the previous segment,
13:14I'm going to be taking the plus money wherever I can get it.
13:16You know, if Florida was at minus 110
13:18and this was just a pure pick-em on both sides,
13:20I could talk myself into Florida.
13:21But the series that has been this close,
13:23I'm not laying minus 140,
13:24whatever it might end up being at the closing line.
13:26But for tonight, let's turn to the goalies, actually,
13:28and let's go to Stuart Skinner and Sergey Bobrovsky
13:31each to have five-plus saves in each period.
13:35Now, it's sitting at minus 135.
13:36Fandle has a boost, so you can boost it up to minus 108,
13:39which is where I played it.
13:40It did not play it at exactly minus 135.
13:42I like looking at saves.
13:43I like looking at shots overall.
13:45There's no guarantee that we're going to see
13:47three-plus shots for McDavid and Dreisaitl,
13:49but they should have the volume of shots overall as a team.
13:51The same thing can be said about Florida.
13:53We don't know if it's going to be Verhage or Bennett or Reinhardt
13:55or Barthar or Kachuk.
13:57It's just like, hey, get the shots on net.
13:58The goalies should come up with the saves.
14:00Consistent pressure throughout the entire game.
14:02I think they both get it done, the goalies, that is.
14:05Playoff Bob has the best price of any player for Florida
14:08to win that Conn-Smith award at plus 340,
14:10but about a buck behind his teammate Sam Bennett,
14:13who has scored in every game so far in the Stanley Cup final.
14:17Three goals in total, including two in game number one.
14:21Keep an eye on that number as well.