One of hockey’s most exciting rivalries resumes Friday as the Philadelphia Flyers (27-17-6) hook up with the Pittsburgh Penguins (31-14-5) in a Metropolitan Division clash. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at PPG Paints Arena. We analyze the Flyers-Penguins sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Flyers at Penguins: Projected starting goalies
Brian Elliott vs. Matt Murray
Elliott enters Friday on a personal three-game winning streak, as he continues to cover for the injured Carter Hart. Elliott is now 12-5-3 on the season with a .904 save percentage and 2.89 goals against average. He made 19 saves in a shutout over these Penguins Jan. 21.
Murray has won five straight starts to get to 15-6-4 on the season. He has a .900 SV% and 2.84 GAA. Both rates are still much worse than his career averages, but January has been, by far, his best month of the season.
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Flyers at Penguins: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Flyers 3, Penguins 2
Moneyline (ML)
Give me the value with the FLYERS (+145). These games are typically high-scoring, opening the door to chance, and rust will be a factor with this being the first game for both sides since a head-to-head meeting Jan. 21. The Flyers claimed a 3-0 victory with a stout defensive effort in the last meeting. The Penguins (-175) are getting far too much respect after being blanked by their rivals less than two weeks ago.
Philadelphia has won its last two games. Pittsburgh is 18-5-3 on home ice this season, while Philly is just 10-13-2 on the road, but Elliott has been strong this season and of late. Murray is on an impressive streak, but he hasn’t been his usual self in 2019-20. It’s a good spot to chase the value.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Flyers to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $14.50. The same bet on the Penguins nets just $5.70 in profit.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The safer play is backing the FLYERS (+1.5, -189) to either lose by just 1 goal or win outright. Pittsburgh’s last two victories came by just 1-goal margins. Three of their last seven games ended in overtime or a shootout.
Philly is 28-22 against the spread overall and 11-14 on the road. Pittsburgh is 24-26 ATS overall and just 11-15 at home.
Over/Under (O/U)
Go with the UNDER 5.5 (+120). Both teams are just 5-5 against the Over/Under across their last 10 games, and the lengthy rest as a result of the all-star break will lead to some sloppy play on both sides.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 189-178
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