With the Philadelphia Flyers currently in 11th place in the Eastern Conference race for a postseason berth and the Montreal Canadiens just one spot behind Philly, both desperate teams will look to pick up a huge victory when they square off on Thursday night. Now, let’s find out which one of these hockey betting lines will win and cash in!
Philadelphia Flyers vs Montreal Canadiens NHL Spread Preview
When: 7:30 PM ET, Friday, February 19, 2016 Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec TV: RDS, SNE, NHLN-US Radio: TSN Radio 690 NHL Open Odds: Montreal -115, Philadelphia -105 Over/Under: 5.5Why Bet The Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers (25-21-5-5, 33-23 ATS) are coming off a commanding 6-3 smackdown over New Jersey on Tuesday night and are openly desperate to get out of 11th place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. With the score tied a 2-2 in the final period, right winger Wayne Simmonds scored a power-play goal and center Nick Cousins added another 50 seconds later to lift the Flyers to victory.
“I think in the past you might have seen a Flyer team roll over and die a little bit or go to overtime,” said rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, whose first-period goal extended his NHL rookie-record streak of 13 games with at least a point. “But the way we responded was pretty cool. It shows the direction this team is going in.”
Now, with New Jersey and Pittsburgh five and four points ahead of the Flyers respectively the two wild card berths in the east, Philly is desperate for wins. The good news for Flyers fans and betting backers is that Philly has split their last four road games at 2-2. The bad news is that Philly is ranked 24th in scoring (2.4 gpg) and a mediocre 15th in goals allowed (2.6 gpg).
Why Bet The Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens (27-27-3-1, 28-30 ATS) have lost three straight games and a whopping seven of their last 10 games overall, including their narrow 3-2 loss to Colorado on Wednesday night. Montreal is currently six points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference after beginning the season with an incendiary 19-4-3 record, but the Canadiens aren’t giving up hope for the postseason.
“We go to the next game and win that and all of a sudden have a good feeling going,” Scrivens said. “We believe in ourselves.” Montreal ranks 13th in scoring (2.7 gpg) but just 22nd in goals allowed (2.8 gpg).
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction
53 percent of the betting public likes Montreal to snap their three-game losing streak and get the win in this contest, but I don’t! I know the home team has won all three meetings this season, but right now, I like Philadelphia’s offense far more than Montreal’s.
The Flyers are just 5-5 in their last 10 games, but they’ve also scored four goals or more in each victory – although they’ve been limited to two goals or less in each of their last five losses. Montreal has been limited to two goals or less in two straight games and six of their last seven losses overall while reaching four goals just three times over their last 10.
The Flyers have compiled a pitiful 20-45 record in their last 65 road games, but the Broad Street Bullies (I wish) are also 6-2 in their last eight games against their Atlantic division rivals The Canadiens are 5-1 in their last six games when their opponent scores five goals or more in their previous game, but Montreal is also just 2-5 in their last seven games against their Eastern Conference rivals, an even more discouraging 8-24 in their last 32 games overall and 2-7 in their last nine games against a team with a losing record.
The Home team in this series is 21-7 in the last 28 meetings, but I like Philly to put a dent in that figure by getting the outright win in this one!
