It’s never easy to enter the playoffs as the favorite to win the whole thing, as that tends to put on an added level of pressure, whilst also painting a pretty large target on your back. The Washington Capitals are the bookies choice to win the Stanley Cup this year, but if Game 1 of their series against the Philadelphia Flyers is anything to go by, they are in for a long hard slog. The Flyers appeared to want to revert to the Broad Street Bullies mentality of the 70’s in Game 1, which suggests that they are well aware that they cannot match the Caps on skill alone. The third period of Game 1 in particular was a battle, but you have to say that the Capitals did not appear particularly rattled by the bullying tactics. Washington did what they have done all year, which is to ride out the storm and come away with the win. Another victory in Game 2 could put this series beyond the reach of the Flyers. Keep up to date with all the NHL playoff odds at MyBookie.ag.
How To Bet The Flyers Vs Capitals NHL Playoff Odds, TV & Game Info
When: Saturday, April 16 at 7 PM EST
Where: Verizon Center, Washington
TV: CNBC
NHL Odds: Capitals -245
Why bet on the Philadelphia Flyers at +205
You have to give some real credit to the Flyers for not looking totally intimidated in the opening game of the series. They went toe to toe with the favorites, but they have to be a little concerned about their inability to land a decent punch. They were unable to get the puck past Brandon Holtby on the Washington goal, and in fact only managed 19 shots in the game. The Capitals are tough enough to break down, but when you only manage a few shots on them during the course of a game, your chances of winning essentially go out the window. Philly has to remain disciplined and become a little ore cutthroat in Game 2.
Why bet on the Washington Capitals at -245
The Capitals, as good as they were during the regular season, are not a team that routinely blows their opponents out of the water. They are a team that is disciplined, patient, and ready to take chances whenever they get them. That was the style that they played in Game 1, and it paid off with a win that was a whole lot more comfortable than the 2-0 score may suggest. The Capitals will not be taking that win for granted, though, as the Flyers were a team that gave the Caps a tough time in the regular season. They know how raucous things are going to get in Philly, and a 2-0 series lead could help ease some of the stress from Games 3 and 4.
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
I expect another tight game on Saturday night, and I also expect a pretty similar outcome to the first one. Just don’t see the Caps losing a home game in this series.
Philadelphia Flyers 1 Washington Capitals 3
