With the NHL regular season nearly finished, we are finally locking in some of our playoff matchups. After a shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes, the Philadelphia Flyers are in, locking down the third seed in the Metropolitan Division. Their opponents? Cross-state Pittsburgh rivals, the Penguins. You’ve got to love intra-division Stanley Cup Playoff matchups.
Flyers vs. Penguins Opening Odds
Looking at the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook, Pittsburgh holds the early edge in the series price after the Flyers clinched the matchup on Monday night. The Penguins are -170 favorites to win the series with the Flyers listed at +140 underdogs.
Despite the teams being separated by just two points with one game to go, Pittsburgh has a decisive edge in this battle. The overwhelming likelihood of home ice for this seven-game series holds major sway, but the Pens also happen to be the superior team.
In what could be the swan song of a legendary NHL career, Sidney Crosby once again led the Penguins in total points, driving a well-balanced attack that is third in total goals for on the season. Evgeni Malkin, the other unc who’s still got it, pitched in alongside players like Bryan Rust, Anthony Mantha, and power-play quarterback extraordinaire Erik Karlsson. The defense was rough all year long, but you can’t say Penguins games aren’t entertaining. The added weight of possibly watching Crosby and Malkin together possibly for the last time only adds to the appeal.
This young Flyers team plays quite a different style. A top-10 defense, not a single Flyers player has crossed the 70-point threshold yet. Amazingly, 12 of the top 13 scorers on this Flyers team are under 30, with captain Sean Couturier as the resident old man. For such a young team, this discipline and commitment to checking is admirable. And it sure makes for a fun stylistic clash.
Opening lines and the puck will drop for Game 1 after the regular season concludes. Get ready for some hard-nosed, grudge match hockey, folks. This one is going to be a treat.
