by Ben Perks
Tonight sees the first of four games in the Battle of Pennsylvania as the Philadelphia Flyers face the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road. The puck drop for this matchup between fierce NHL rivals is at 7 pm ET. Get insights and the latest odds for this Metropolitan Division clash.
Philadelphia Flyers @ Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Odds
| Spread | Win | Total |
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The first meeting in the four-game series of the Battle of Pennsylvania should be a close one according to hockey betting sites‘ odds. Despite the absence of Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby (tested positive for Covid-19), online sportsbooks still have the Penguins as short moneyline favorites. However, the Flyers will fancy their chances against this depleted side. This rivalry has produced some wild hockey games, so expect this one to live up to the hype.
Why Oddsmakers Favor the Penguins
Along with Crosby, the Penguins have a lengthy injury list: Brian Dumoulin, Chad Ruhwedel, Marcus Pettersson, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust, and Evgeni Malkin. For this reason, it comes as no surprise that many NHL bettors think the oddsmakers have got this one wrong. Though, despite the injury crisis, the Penguins have been competitive this season at 3-3-2. In fact, even with missing their top three centers, their top defenseman, and one of their best wingers, they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-1 a few weeks ago.
The Penguins are lacking star power, but their lineup is keeping them in the playoff race. Yet, although sportsbooks think they have enough to beat the Flyers, their Stanley Cup odds have taken a hit – they’re now a +2800 at online sportsbook Bovada. It seems that bookmakers believe that the injury problems will catch up with them, but what if it already has?
Could the Flyers Upset the Odds?
The Philadelphia Flyers have pulled off some surprises this season. Their record of 5-2-1 and scoring an average of 3.5 goals per game shows that they know how to cause problems for opponents. The pilots are also coming off a 3-0 win over the Arizona Coyotes. During the game, Carter Hart made the first shutout of the season, reflecting 29 shots. Couturier and Giroud also performed well – they both bagged one goal and one assist. Another stat that might interest bettors is that the Flyers have the better head-to-head record against the Penguins.
Although rival games are always hard to call, the Pilots look like they could upset the odds.
Recent Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05-05-21 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3-7 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 04-05-21 | Philadelphia Flyers | 7-2 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 16-04-21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1-2 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 06-03-21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-3 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 05-03-21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 35-9 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 03-03-21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 5-2 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 16-01-21 | Philadelphia Flyers | 5-2 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 13-01-21 | Philadelphia Flyers | 6-3 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 01-02-20 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-3 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 22-01-20 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3-0 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
Other NHL Games on Thursday
View the latest odds for tonight’s NHL matchups.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
