Philadelphia Flyers vs Montreal Canadiens: NHL Betting Preview & Expert Picks, February 24, 2023

Odds

2021-2022 season stats

Preview

The Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens will face off in a crucial Eastern Conference matchup on February 24, 2023. Both teams are struggling in their respective divisions, with the Flyers in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 23-26-10, while the Canadiens are in eighth place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 24-29-4. The game will be played at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, and puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens have also had a challenging season, particularly on the defensive end. They have allowed an average of 3.52 goals per game, which is the third-worst in the league. The team's penalty kill has been one of their weakest points, with a success rate of just 73.5%. Despite their struggles on defense, the Canadiens have been successful in games where they have scored three or more goals, with a record of 19-5-2 in such games.

On the offensive end, the Canadiens have scored an average of 2.79 goals per game, which is the sixth-lowest in the Eastern Conference. Cole Caufield has been the standout performer for the Canadiens, with 26 goals and 10 assists on the season. He has been a consistent offensive threat for the team, and his absence due to injury will be felt by the team. Rafael Harvey-Pinard has also been in good form, with six goals and three assists in his last 10 games.

Unfortunately for the Canadiens, they have a number of players out with injuries that will impact their ability to compete in this game. Sean Monahan: out (foot), Brendan Gallagher: out (lower body), Carey Price: out (knee), Emil Heineman: out (thumb), Juraj Slafkovsky: out (lower-body), Kaiden Guhle: out (leg), Kirby Dach: day to day (illness), Arber Xhekaj: out (upper-body), Joel Edmundson: day to day (upper body), Paul Byron: out (hip), Cole Caufield: out for season (shoulder), Joel Armia: day to day (undisclosed), Jake Evans: out (lower-body).

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers' struggles this season have been largely due to their inconsistent defensive play. They have allowed an average of 3.31 goals per game, which is the second-worst in the Eastern Conference. They have also struggled on the penalty kill, with a success rate of just 73.3%, which is the fourth-worst in the league. The Flyers have had trouble keeping their opponents off the scoresheet, which has put additional pressure on their offense to score goals.

In terms of their offensive production, the Flyers have scored 2.70 goals per game, which is the third-lowest in the Eastern Conference. Travis Konecny has been the standout performer for the Flyers, with 27 goals and 27 assists on the season. He has been a consistent offensive threat for the team and will be relied upon to produce in this crucial game. Rasmus Ristolainen has also been a key contributor, with six assists in his last 10 games.

Defensively, the Flyers have been slightly better than average, ranking 18th in goals against per game and 15th in shots against per game. However, these numbers are still not great, and the team will need to tighten up their defense if they hope to be successful. In terms of goaltending, Carter Hart has been the Flyers' primary netminder, with a record of 16-17-9, a 2.88 goals-against average, and a .910 save percentage. Felix Sandstrom, on the other hand, has a 1-8-1 record with a 3.52 goals-against average and .880 save percentage.

Overall, the Flyers are currently second to last in the Metropolitan division, and they are nine points away from a Wild Card spot. While there is still time for them to turn their season around, they will need to start playing more consistently and finding ways to win games. The competition in the Eastern Conference is tough, and there are several teams ahead of them in the standings, so the Flyers will need to step up their game if they hope to make a run for the playoffs.

INJURIES: Tanner Laczynski: out (lower-body), Cam Atkinson: out for season (neck), Zack MacEwen: out (jaw), Ryan Ellis: out for season (pelvis), Travis Konecny: day to day (upper-body), Sean Couturier: out (back).

BETTING TRENDS

Philadelphia are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games.

Philadelphia are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games against Montreal.

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games on the road.

Philadelphia are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Montreal.

Philadelphia are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games.

Montreal are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games.

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games against Philadelphia.

Montreal are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Philadelphia.

Prediction

Given the current state of both teams, it is likely that this game will be low-scoring, with both teams playing a tight, defensive game to avoid costly mistakes. The Flyers have struggled on the penalty kill this season, with a success rate of just 73.3%. The Canadiens will be looking to take advantage of this and create scoring opportunities with their power play. The Flyers will need to be more disciplined and avoid giving up unnecessary penalties.

In terms of the final prediction, it is likely that this game will be decided by a single goal, with both teams fighting hard to stay in the playoff race. Given the likelihood of a low-scoring game, the under is likely to cash.

PICK: Under 6 (-110) 

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