The Philadelphia Flyers, led by Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier, are set to take the ice against Max Domi, Jonathan Drouin, and the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre in an Eastern Conference matchup. The opening face-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 21, and it will be showcased live on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Montreal Canadiens Odds
The Canadiens (-135) are being picked as the favorites over the Flyers (+115) and the Over/Under (O/U) is placed at an even 6 goals (-110 over, -110 under).
Montreal is 32-28 straight up (SU) and has netted 6.0 units for moneyline bettors this year. That early-season winning percentage is a surprising improvement over the 29-53 record from the 2017-18 season campaign. 32 of the team’s 60 games have gone under the total, while 26 have gone over and just two have pushed. The team’s 18-14 SU at home this season.
The Canadiens have converted on just 12.8 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s ranked 32nd overall in the NHL. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked 19th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 79.6 percent of all penalties.
Averaging 27.3 saves per game with a .916 save percentage, Carey Price (24-22-5) has been the most dependable goalkeeper for the Habs this season. If Montreal chooses to give him a breather, however, the team may turn to Antti Niemi (8-8-8 record, .889 save percentage, 3.75 goals against average).
On the visiting bench, Philadelphia is 28-32 straight up (SU) and has lost 6.3 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. A total of 31 of its outings have gone over the total, while 29 have gone under the total and none have pushed. As the road team , the Flyers are 13-16 SU.
The Flyers have converted on 17.3 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 28th overall and it’s successfully killed off 76.9 percent of all penalties.
Carter Hart (.920 save percentage and 2.67 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Philadelphia. Hart is averaging 28.6 saves per game and has 13 wins, eight losses, and one overtime loss to his credit.
Philadelphia Flyers at Montreal Canadiens Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Canadiens, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- The Canadiens are 13-12 SU in games where they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Flyers are 10-15 SU when they spend more time in the box than their opponent.
- Philadelphia is 2-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Montreal is 2-0 in shootouts.
- The total has gone under in three of Montreal’s last five outings.
- Philadelphia skaters have averaged 11.0 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.6 giveaways per game (ranked 13th in the NHL).
- Montreal is ranked 28th this season with 12.3 giveaways per game. That figure has regressed recently, as the team’s averaged 15.8 giveaways over its last 10 games and 14.2 giveaways over its last five.
- The Habs this season have tallied the fourth-most hits in the NHL (27.1 per game), but that average has risen to 30.6 over their past five home outings.
