The Philadelphia Flyers hope to return to their winning ways when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. It will be the first time these teams square off after splitting last year's season series. The Blackhawks are back in contention to receive the First Overall pick this season, while the Flyers rebuild looks much quicker. Last season, the Flyers were in the mix for Connor Bedard but ended up settling for Bedard's Russian counterpart, Matvei Michkov. The Blackhawks now have an opportunity to add Macklin Celebrini to their growing forward depth, while the Flyers will be in the playoffs and unconcerned about the draft lottery. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Flyers-Blackhawks prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Flyers-Blackhawks Odds
Philadelphia Flyers: -1.5 (+128)
Moneyline: -194
Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-154)
Moneyline: +160
Over: 5.5 (-130)
Under: 5.5 (+106)
How to Watch Flyers vs. Blackhawks
Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT
TV: TNT
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Flyers Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Flyers stain third in the Metropolitan Division despite a rough stretch before the All-Star Break. They exploded out of the layoff, winning four consecutive games, including matchups with the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets, two of the best teams in the league. They've returned to earth, dropping two consecutive games to the Maple Leafs and Devils. Sometimes, when a team drops two games like those, they need a simpler matchup where they can get back on track, and that's the perfect opportunity for the Flyers here.
The Flyers goaltending should get a break in Wednesday's matchup, as the Blackhawks recently scored nine goals over an eight-game losing streak. Their past two games have seen them score six goals in a 3-2 win over Ottawa and a 6-3 loss to Carolina. The return of Connor Bedard has supplemented the team's offense, but he won't be able to tally three points every night at this point in his career.
Why The Blackhawks Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Blackhawks have been a disaster on the road, especially over the last few months, losing 20 consecutive games away from home. Chicago's fortunes have been better at home, boasting an 11-14-2 record, which was better before an abysmal 1-3-1 home stand. The Blackhawks were one of the league's worst teams, but their fortunes worsened when Connor Bedard was sidelined with a broken jaw. Bedard is now back and has the potential to lead the Blackhawks to wins single-handedly, but there will also be nights where he is spectacular, and Chicago still loses. That happened in their last matchup when he had three points in a 6-3 loss to Carolina.
Philadelphia's goaltending situation has changed since the departure of Carter Hart from the team's active roster. Samuel Ersson has been successful in his rookie season, but there is a talent dropoff from Hart. Ersson has allowed 12 goals over his last three starts, which has given them a 1-1-1 record. Chicago needs abysmal goaltending to have a chance of winning, and they may get it from the Flyers.
Final Flyers-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick
The Philadelphia Flyers were caught between continuing the rebuild or going for the playoffs this season. Their losing streak before the All-Star Break seemed to solve their problem, but they've returned to their winning ways after their vacation. The Flyers may as well continue their playoff hopes, and it isn't like John Tortorella to throw in the towel if the team has a chance. They need to take care of business against teams like Chicago, and you can expect them to do it on Wednesday night.
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Final Flyers-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Chicago Blackhawks +1.5 (-154)
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