NHL Betting: Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals

Apr 11, 2008 | By Ben Chaisson | Picks Articles Archive

Game 1: Alex Ovechkin makes his playoff debut tonight when his, Southeast Champs, Washington Capitals host the sixth seeded Philadelphia Flyers. The season series is at 2-2 SU, but the winning team has been the road team in all four meetings. SBG Global.com has the Capitals as -155 home favs over the Flyers with the over/under listed at 5 ½. Get your NHL Playoff Prediction in at SBG Global.com

GAME: Philadelphia Flyers (42-29-5-6) at Washington Capitals (43-31-4-4)
DATE/TIME: Friday, April 11 - 7:00 PM EST
LINE: SBG Global.com TOTAL: 5 ½
PICK: Under 5 1/2

The Flyers are well known for their grit and toughness and you can bet they’ll be coming out strong tonight. The Flyers enter the playoffs winning seven of their last ten after beating Pittsburgh 2-0 on home ice. Richards (75 points) and Briere (72) were the top two scorers for the Flyers, but they also added some great talented players. They got defenseman Jason Smith from Edmonton, blueliner Kimmo Timonen and rugged forward Scott Hartnell from Nashville, all players with playoff experience. In December, Philadelphia inked rising star Mike Richards to an extension. The Flyers goalie Martin Biron has been average lately winning five of his last ten and 1-4 SU during his last five on the road. Overall he finished 30-20-9 with a 2.59 GAA and a .918 SVPCT. The Flyers are 21-15-2-3 away from home and 2-3 SU during their last five road games.

The Capitals enter the playoffs on a seven game win streak after they finished the season with a 3-1 home win over Florida. Ovechkin led the league with 65 goals, 112pts and also posted league bests with 22 power-play goals and 11 game-winners. He’s a sure winner for the Hart Trophy for league MVP. He knows he’s a prime target for the Flyers, but he doesn’t care "What can I do? If they want to hit me, hit me. I don't care. .... It's the playoffs. No friends on the ice," he said. Goalie Cristobal Huet has been stellar in net for the Caps, he is one of the reasons why they are in the playoffs. Since he was acquired from Montreal he’s won his last nine starts for a 1.52 GAA. Against the Flyers he’s given up only nine goals in four career starts against the Flyers en route to a 3-0-1 record. The Caps have averaged 3.60 GAG in their last five and they are 6-0 SU in their last six on home ice.

Recent Trends to Consider

Flyers are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Flyers are 1-5 in their last 6 games as a road underdog.
Capitals are 6-0 in their last 6 home games.
Capitals are 9-0 in their last 9 vs. Eastern Conference.
Capitals are 6-0 in their last 6 games following a win.
Capitals are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in Washington.
Flyers are 2-6 in the last 8 meetings.
Road team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Underdog is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

The Bottom Line: The Flyers are going to be all over Ovechkin so expect a low scoring game. Both teams have a lot of offense so it could swing both ways. The safe bet is to go with under 5 ½ goals. Get your NHL Playoff Prediction in at SBG Global.com and receive a 10% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit.

NHL Betting: Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals

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