Battle of Pennsylvania: Penguins favored in clash with rival Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby controls the puck. (Photo by Justin Berl/Icon Sportswire)
January 20th, 2020
The Pittsburgh Penguins are surging. The Philadelphia Flyers, however, are treading water right now in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Battle of Pennsylvania resumes as the Penguins face the Flyers in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The Battle of Pennsylvania resumes as the Penguins face the Flyers in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 p.m. ET
| Team | Puck Line | Moneyline | Total |
|---|
Pittsburgh Penguins | -1.5 | -145 | O 6 |
Philadelphia Flyers | +1.5 | +113 | U 6 |
The Penguins will march into Philadelphia as the road favorites with Moneyline odds of -145 at BetAmerica.
They’ve been, well, money on the road as of late, winning five of their last six games away from PPG Paints Arena.
Over/Under records for both teams have been up and down over the past few weeks. The total for Tuesday’s matchup was set at 6.0, with odds of -113 for the Under. The Under has hit in four of the last five home games for the Flyers, and is 3-3 in Pittsburgh’s last six road games.
Still, the Penguins are among the league leaders in scoring on the road, averaging 3.3 goals for per game, which is good enough for sixth in the NHL. The Flyers are scoring just over 3.5 goals for per game at home, which makes the Over an intriguing option.
Their best player, Sidney Crosby, was sidelined for just over two months with a core injury. Crosby returned to the Penguins lineup on Jan. 14. And what an impact he has had already.
They’ve been, well, money on the road as of late, winning five of their last six games away from PPG Paints Arena.
Over/Under records for both teams have been up and down over the past few weeks. The total for Tuesday’s matchup was set at 6.0, with odds of -113 for the Under. The Under has hit in four of the last five home games for the Flyers, and is 3-3 in Pittsburgh’s last six road games.
Still, the Penguins are among the league leaders in scoring on the road, averaging 3.3 goals for per game, which is good enough for sixth in the NHL. The Flyers are scoring just over 3.5 goals for per game at home, which makes the Over an intriguing option.
He's back! Sidney Crosby re-ignites Penguins
When last we checked in on the Penguins, their Stanley Cup outright odds were +1600. The injuries had been piling up and yet they were somehow able to remain right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.Their best player, Sidney Crosby, was sidelined for just over two months with a core injury. Crosby returned to the Penguins lineup on Jan. 14. And what an impact he has had already.
Life is better with Sidney Crosby in it pic.twitter.com/dfYQVK0Tyi
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) January 15, 2020
Crosby scored in each of the first three games since returning, and has put up seven points in four games, helping Pittsburgh to three wins during that span.
Sidney Crosby’s numbers in Philly during the Mike Sullivan era:
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) January 20, 2020
Games: 10
Goals: 7
Assists: 15
Points: 22
Penguins’ record: 8-2-0
The Penguins are now hot on the heels of the Washington Capitals for the Metropolitan Division lead, with four points separating them in the standings. Pittsburgh’s odds to win the Stanley Cup have jumped to +1300 at BetAmerica. The odds for the Penguins to win the division are now +200 as of Monday.
The injury bug isn’t gone completely for the Penguins. They will be without Jake Guentzel, their leading goal scorer, for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury. That, too, is a difficult loss. But the Penguins have proven already to be a resilient bunch.
They are currently 16-4-4 at Wells Fargo Center this year. Look at a number of stats across the board (shots per game, penalty kill, power play, goals per game, etc.) and you’ll see their success at home is not fluke.
The Penguins, meanwhile, have one of the best road records at 13-8-2. It's quite a test for the Flyers heading into the NHL All-Star break.
The injury bug isn’t gone completely for the Penguins. They will be without Jake Guentzel, their leading goal scorer, for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury. That, too, is a difficult loss. But the Penguins have proven already to be a resilient bunch.
Can Flyers continue to roll at home?
The Flyers are among the best in the league playing on home ice this season.They are currently 16-4-4 at Wells Fargo Center this year. Look at a number of stats across the board (shots per game, penalty kill, power play, goals per game, etc.) and you’ll see their success at home is not fluke.
The Penguins, meanwhile, have one of the best road records at 13-8-2. It's quite a test for the Flyers heading into the NHL All-Star break.
“There’s one more game before the break and it’s easy to not mentally be there, but playing against Pittsburgh, I think everybody’s going to be on their toes tomorrow. It’s gonna be a good game for us to have before the break.” https://t.co/Q1kZvkVcye
— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) January 20, 2020
Much like the Penguins earlier in the year, the Flyers are dealing with a number of injuries at the moment. Goalie Carter Hart suffered an abdominal injury last week and is expected to be out 2-3 weeks.
The Flyers are right now rolling with a goaltending duo of Brian Elliott and Alex Lyon, who was recently recalled from the minors.
NHL free pick: Penguins moneyline
Sports Betting is now in PA with the BetAmerica Sportsbook in partnership with Presque Isle Downs & Casino!
ADVERTISEMENT
