The Philadelphia Flyers will travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks in one of the final days of the regular season. Join us for our NHL odds series where our Flyers-Blackhawks prediction and pick will be revealed.
After both teams are coming off wins that saw lengthy losing streaks come to an end, it was the Flyers that were able to outlast the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime by a score of 4-3. With no chance of making it to the postseason this year, can Philadelphia end the campaign on a high-note within their final regular season game before the offseason?
As for the Blackhawks, it was Chicago that ended a three-game losing skid in the dominant 5-2 win over Pittsburgh on the road. Prior to that win, the Blackhawks had strung together only one win in their previous 12 matchups overall. It has clearly been a nightmare season for Chicago, but there is no question that back-to-back wins would give this roster some much-needed confidence heading into next season.
Here are the Flyers-Blackhawks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Flyers-Blackhawks Odds
Philadelphia Flyers: -1.5 (+202)
Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-250)
Over: 5.5 (-140)
Under: 5.5 (-114)
How To Watch Flyers vs. Blackhawks
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 8:30 ET/5:30 PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Flyers Could Cover The Spread
On paper, the Flyers have all of the ingredients to cover the spread against a lesser team in the Blackhawks. Not to mention, but the Flyers have reeled off an impressive record against the spread this season which currently stands at 47-34.
Not only do the Flyers possess one of the top marks ATS this season compared to anyone else in the league, but they also should hold an advantage in the scoring department. While this matchup between bottom-feeders may lack the pizzaz that other matchups in the NHL on Friday may possess, it is important to remember that Philly has scored seven goals in their previous two games combined and look to be in good shape offensively heading into their final contest.
Alas, the sole reason the Flyers will find a way to cover will be in large part due to taking advantage of their extra-man attack. Although Philadelphia only scores on 15% of their power-plays, the Flyers must find a way to remain aggressive and score at will whenever Chicago goes into the penalty box. Without a doubt, capitalizing on the Blackhawks' mistakes will prove to be vital.
In addition, covering the spread will be all for not if Philly doesn't remain jump out to an early lead in a hostile environment. Despite the horrendous season by Chicago, Blackhawks fans will most likely be having their voices heard during tonight's clash, and eliminating any added energy by them will prove to be vital in order for Philly to remain focused at the task at hand.
Why The Blackhawks Could Cover The Spread
In what many fans predict will be the final game in a Blackhawks jersey for the legendary longtime Chicago captain in Jonathan Toews, there is no question that emotions will be running high once the opening face-off is underway at the United Center later this evening. Since the 34-year-old's NHL debut coming during the 2007-2008 regular season, Toews has captured three Stanley Cup titles during his Blackhawks' tenure and should be an integral force in finding a way to help his team cover the spread one final time.
Outside of the fact that Chicago will need a stellar outing from Toews, goalie Petr Mrazek will look to continue to add to his dominant performance against the Penguins when he stonewalled Pittsburgh's 40 shots on goal by saving 38 of them. As a whole, Mrazek's numbers haven't been all that pleasant on a bad Chicago squad, but keep in mind that it was at least encouraging to see the 31-year-old Czechoslovakian bounce back in a big way after surrendering a whopping seven goals two starts ago.
If all else fails, the one area of play where Chicago could inflict some damage upon Philadelphia will be defensively. Since the Blackhawks rank dead last in the league in scoring, keeping up with their defensive assignments and not falling asleep defensively will need to take place. Clearly, Chicago has an extremely difficult time scoring the puck and if they fall behind early, they might not have enough firepower to crawl their way back.
Final Flyers-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick
On a night when Blackhawks fans will be rocking the arena in Jonathan Toews's final game, it is hard to imagine that Chicago doesn't go all out for their captain one final time en route to covering the spread. Take the Blackhawks and don't look back.
Final Flyers-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Blackhawks +1.5 (-250)
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