This may be the best series in the opening round. The Penguins and Flyers don’t like each other and the bad blood could boil over in a seven-game series.
The Penguins and Flyers met up to close out the regular season last week, but don’t take too much from the Penguins 4-2 win in that contest. The Flyers rested both their top scorer, Claude Giroux, and their starting goalie, Ilya Bryzgalov, in that game.
At Bodog.ca they’ve tagged Pittsburgh as the series favorite at -210, while the Flyers are a +175 underdog.
Including the regular season finale the Flyers were 4-2 against Pittsburgh this season. Philadelphia also owns a solid 7-3 record in their last 10 versus the Pens. In Pittsburgh you would expect the Penguins to have a solid record against Philly, but that’s not the case.
In their last six games in Pittsburgh the Flyers are 5-1 and they’re 7-3 in their last 10. [ 100% Deposit Bonus ]
I don’t think we have to remind you about Pittsburgh high-powered offense. With Art Ross Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby the Pens have the best one-two punch in the game.
Throw in 40-goal man James Neal, offensive minded defenseman Kris Letang and Jordan Staal and the Pens are overloaded with offensive talent. We haven’t even mentioned goalie Marc-Andre Fleury who has already shouldered the pressure of a Stanley Cup run before. [ Bet player props and the best underdog lines ]
The Flyers aren’t pushovers though. Led by Giroux, Scott Hartnell and Danny Briere the Flyers can score and also mix it up. The biggest question mark for Philadelphia, as always, is in goal. Bryzgalov had a roller coaster season, but did finish strong.
He doesn’t have a great playoff history recently with Phoenix and one has to wonder if he has the mental toughness to carry the Flyers. In the opener in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night the Pens are a -175 favorite at William Hill.