The Philadelphia Flyers will battle the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Battle of Pennsylvania on Saturday. We're here to share our NHL odds series, make a Flyers-Penguins prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Flyers lost 4-3 in overtime to the New Jersey Devils. Initially, they trailed 2-0 early. It was 3-1 with five minutes left when Sean Walker scored to cut the deficit to one. Then, Tyson Foerster snapped a powerplay goal with 51 seconds left to send the game into overtime. But the Devils scored 28 seconds into OT as Luke Hughes snapped one past Carter Hart. Overall, Hart made 43 saves. Travis Konecny contributed to the offense with two assists. Overall, the Flyers won 48 percent of their faceoffs. They also went 2 for 6 on the powerplay and 4 for 5 on the penalty kill. Additionally, they leveled 14 hits and blocked 15 shots.
The Penguins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 at Amalie Arena. Initially, they trailed 2-0 after the first period. But they got goals from Sidney Crosby and Drew O'Connor to tie it up. The third period came along, and Jeff Carter set the go-ahead goal. Later, goalie Tristan Jarry became the 47th goalie in history to score a goal to seal the game. Jarry made 39 saves to preserve the win. Meanwhile, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang each contributed an assist to help the offense. The Pens won 62 percent of their faceoffs. Furthermore, they went 0 for 1 on the powerplay and 1 for 2 on the penalty kill. The Penguins also leveled 17 hits and blocked 16 shots.
The Penguins won 3 of 4 last season. Furthermore, the Pens are 7-2-1 in the last 10 against the Flyers overall. The Penguins are also 8-1-1 in the last 10 games against the Flyers at PPG Paints Arena and four in a row.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Flyers-Penguins Odds
Philadelphia Flyers: +1.5 (-170)
Pittsburgh Penguins: -1.5 (+140)
Over: 6.5 (+100)
Under: 6.5 (-120)
How to Watch Flyers vs. Penguins
Time: 7:10 PM ET/4:10 PM PT
TV: NBCSports Philadelphia, Sportsnet Pittsburgh, and ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Flyers Will Cover The Spread
The Flyers are 11-10-2 as they come into this game and are staying afloat despite a team that is supposed to be rebuilding. Yet, they're hanging in there and hope to snap a two-game losing streak as they play their rivals.
Konecny has been excellent, with 12 goals and six assists, including two powerplay goals. Significantly, he has a 17.1 percent shooting percentage. Travis Sanheim has two goals and 14 assists. Furthermore, he has blocked 38 shots. Sean Couturier has been good, with five goals and 10 assists. Additionally, he has been okay in the faceoff circle, winning 203 draws and losing 210. Joel Farabee has notched eight goals and seven assists. Likewise, Cam Atkinson has eight goals and six assists. The Flyers need more scoring, as they rank 22nd in goal scoring, 30th in shooting percentage, and 27th on the powerplay.
Hart likely will be the goalie in the net and comes in with a record of 6-6-1 with a 2.68 goals-against average and a save percentage of .909. Ultimately, he plays behind a defense that is 14th in goals against and 10th on the penalty kill.
The Flyers will cover the spread if they can score early and often. Then, they must avoid taking penalties and close the shooting lanes to make things easier for Hart.
Why The Penguins Will Cover The Spread
The Penguins are struggling to start the season as they are 11-10-1. Regardless, they still have the talent to stay competitive and are one of the more decent teams that can pull off a win any day.
Crosby remains their best player, with 14 goals and 11 assists, including two powerplay markers. Amazingly, he continues to shine in the faceoff circle, winning 286 draws and losing 196. Jake Guentzel continues to excel, with seven goals and 18 assists. Likewise, Malkin is still solid, with 10 goals and 10 assists, including two powerplay markers. Malkin still handles most of the draws, winning 121 and losing 129 in the faceoff circle. Meanwhile, defenseman Erik Karlsson has been solid with his new team, notching six goals and 12 assists, including two powerplay markers. The offense has been mediocre, ranking 15th in goals, 24th in shooting percentage, and 26th on the powerplay.
Jarry will likely start for the Penguins and comes in with a record of 8-8-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a save percentage of .919. Thus, he plays behind a defense that is fifth in goals against and eighth on the penalty kill.
The Penguins will cover the spread if they can convert on their shooting chances. Then, they need to avoid making simple mistakes and give Jarry a better chance.
Final Flyers-Penguins Prediction & Pick
These teams always play each other tough. Therefore, expect another close game that goes down to the wire.
Final Flyers-Penguins Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia Flyers: +1.5 (-170)
Follow Us
Subscribe
