Stanley Cup Final 2017: Prop Odds and Predictions for Penguins vs. Predators

Well, the NBA Finals finally got a little more dramatic this weekend. Fortunately, fans of the NHL have been treated to a back-and-forth Stanley Cup Final that has been exciting throughout.

The Pittsburgh Penguins managed to go up 2-0 in the series before the Nashville Predators evened the series at home. The Penguins won their next game at home and are in position to close out the series on Nashville's ice. Of course, if the Preds play like they have been at home, this one could easily be going back to Pittsburgh for a Game 7.

The only problem with the series so far is that almost every single game has resulted in a blowout win for the home team. Will that trend continue in Game 6, or will Pittsburgh manage to close this one out? The only thing we know for sure is that there's plenty of drama heading into the game.

If you're looking to add a little more excitement to the action, you're in luck. We're here to examine the latest props and the latest odds—courtesy of our friends at OddsShark.com—for the Stanley Cup Final.

2017 Stanley Cup Final Game 6

What: Pittsburgh at Nashville

When: Sunday, June 11

Time: 8 p.m. ET

National TV: NBC. CBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Odds: Nashville 20-27, Pittsburgh 23-20

Props and Picks

Preds Will Extend the Series

We're picking the Predators to win in Game 6, and not strictly because of their tremendous home crowd, though it will certainly play a role Sunday.

There are two other factors we're looking at in picking Nashville. The first is that goalie Pekka Rinne has been much, much better at home than on the road. He was an utter embarrassment during the 6-0 loss in Game 5, and he wasn't terribly better in the first two games. During the first trip to Pittsburgh, Rinne allowed eight goals on just 36 shots. 

In Nashville, however, Rinne only allowed two goals on 50 shots:

Rinne was pulled after surrendering three early goals in Game 5. According to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com, however, there's "little doubt" that he'll be starting again in Game 6. If the home version of Rinne returns, the Penguins will be in great shape.

The other factor is that Nashville has its back against the wall but isn't losing confidence. This is a true must-win game for the Predators, and the team seems prepared.

“I don't think that there's any searching going on in there on how we’re going to do this or what needs to take place," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said, per Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times. "We need to play a better game. We've proven that we can and we have in the past, and there's a lot of confidence that we will in a couple days.”

Of course, we can't possibly discount the trend of home-team dominance in this series.

But Rinne Won't Be the MVP

Rinne may be a difference-maker in Nashville, but his erratic overall play means he probably won't be taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is given to the postseason's most valuable player.

A lot will obviously depend on the final outcome of this series, but Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby is looking like a legitimate threat to win the Conn Smythe for a second straight year. Kevin Allen of USA Today recently explained why:

"The case for Crosby (eight goals, 27 points in 23 games) is strong because he has dialed up his performance level as the games have become more important. He has seven points in the five games of this Stanley Cup Final. In his last 10 playoff games, he’s posted four goals and nine assists. Despite the fact that Pittsburgh was outscored 9-2 in the Games 3 and 4 in Nashville, Crosby hasn’t had a minus game since May 17 of the last series."

Crosby is our pick to take home the award, though it's worth keeping an eye on Penguins rookie Jake Guentzel. While Crosby is the heart of the Penguins team, Guentzel has 13 goals this postseason, just one shy of Dino Ciccarelli's NHL rookie record.

If Guentzel scores, say two or three more goals, breaks the record and secures the series for the Penguins, he'll have just as much claim to the Conn Smythe as Crosby.

Full odds for the Conn Smythe Trophy are as follows:

Pekka Rinne: 5-2

Evgeni Malkin: 7-2

Jake Guentzel: 5-1

Sidney Crosby: 5-1

Flip Forsberg: 9-1

Matt Murray: 18-1

Roman Josi: 18-1

Ryan Ellis: 18-1

P.K. Subban: 15-1

Phil Kessel: 28-1

Viktor Arvidsson: 33-1

Race to Five Goals

If you're looking for a prop specifically focusing on Sunday's game, here's an attractive one we found on OddsChecker.com. This one involves the race to five goals in Game 6, and the odds are as follows:

Neither Team: 1-4

Nashville: 9-2

Pittsburgh: 6-1

While it's tempting to bet on the Predators here—the home team has won every game in the series and has scored at least five goals in three of the five games—we're actually going to go with the option of neither team.

The Predators have scored five goals only once in the series and only twice in the last two series. While we do think Nashville will win at home, a victory is likely to come from improved defensive play and not necessarily an offensive onslaught.

If the Penguins are the first to five goals, they're likely winning the game and the series.