RADIO
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are set to renew hostilities in Saturday’s Stadium Series game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The Penguins are clinging to a playoff spot, one point ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes for the second wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. At the same time, they have the second-best goal differential in the Metropolitan Division, have already made trades to improve, and appear likely to make more trades before Monday’s deadline.
Philadelphia has surged in the standings, but they are still eight points behind the Penguins. Rookie netminder Carter Hart, who has been a big reason for their improvement, has stumbled lately and will be getting a break for the Flyers as they instead turn to veteran Brian Elliott in goal.
A Battle of Pennsylvania in an outdoor game. Let’s get it on! And maybe hold off the rain.
Here are some angles to keep in mind before letting the monkeys loose on a busy day of puck.
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PITTSBURGH-PHILADELPHIA
OVER/UNDERS
Kris Letang UNDER 4.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – As productive as Letang is, this is a big number for a defenseman and he’s put up five or more shots plus blocks in four of his past 15 road games.
Sean Couturier UNDER 0.5 GOALS – He’s playing great lately, putting up 27 points in his past 19 games, but he has scored a goal in eight of his past 20 home games and against the Penguins his focus may be more on a shutdown role against Pittsburgh’s star centers.
RAPID FIRE
Sidney Crosby -0.5 points vs. Sean Couturier – On average, Crosby’s road production (38 points in 29 road games) isn’t worth a half point over Couturier at home (30 points in 31 games), but with Brian Elliott coming back from injury and getting the nod in net for the Flyers that swings the balance towards No. 87.
NEW JERSEY-RANGERS
OVER/UNDERS
Mats Zuccarello OVER 0.5 ASSISTS – Assuming that he hasn’t been traded by game time, the veteran winger has managed assists in 11 of 23 home games this season but has been more productive lately with 15 assists in his past 16 games and the Devils are a below average team.
Kevin Hayes OVER 2.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – Another Rangers forward who may be on the move in the very near future, Hayes is also coming off a game against Minnesota in which he had zero shots + blocks, but he had at least three shots plus blocks in five of his previous six home contests.
WASHINGTON-BUFFALO
OVER/UNDERS
Alex Ovechkin OVER 0.5 GOALS – The league’s leading goal-scorer has recorded goals in five of the past six road games, including a current four-game goal-scoring streak. The Sabres aren’t really playing well enough defensively to think that they’ll be the ones to shut down Ovi.
Sam Reinhart OVER 0.5 ASSISTS – Maybe not as much of a standout for the Sabres as Jack Eichel or Jeff Skinner, Reinhart is nonetheless a consistent productive player who has 22 assists in 30 home games.
BOSTON-ST. LOUIS
OVER/UNDERS
Vladimir Tarasenko OVER 0.5 GOALS – After struggling through the first half of the season, Tarasenko has buried 15 goals in the past 18 games, and 14 of those games have been on the road, where it should be tougher to get favorable matchups.
RAPID FIRE
Ryan O’Reilly +0.5 points vs. Brad Marchand – As good as Marchand is, he’s much more productive at home and O’Reilly has 34 points in 30 home games. Tough to give points against that.
CAROLINA-DALLAS
OVER/UNDER
Jamie Benn UNDER 0.5 GOALS – Although he scored a pair of goals in Dallas’ last game, the captain was unable to score a goal in six of the previous seven home games.
RAPID FIRE
Tyler Seguin -0.5 shots + blocks vs. Dougie Hamilton – As productive as Hamilton is, averaging 4.26 combined shots and blocks on the road this season, he’s still well behind Seguin’s pace (5.27) at home.
LOS ANGELES-FLORIDA
OVER/UNDERS
Mike Hoffman UNDER 0.5 GOALS – The Panthers winger can put the puck in the net, but has done so just twice in the past 11 home games.
RAPID FIRE
Aleksander Barkov -0.5 points vs. Anze Kopitar – Maybe this should be a close call between a pair of high-end two-way centers, but Barkov is a beast at home, putting up 42 points in 31 games, a safer bet to take this head-to-head matchup.
SAN JOSE-COLUMBUS
OVER/UNDERS
Erik Karlsson OVER 0.5 ASSISTS – Now that he’s back in the lineup, the Sharks defenseman is a difference maker and has assists in 10 of his past 11 road games.
RAPID FIRE
Artemi Panarin -0.5 points vs. Joe Thornton – While Thornton is picking up his point production, he still has just 14 points in 25 road games, while Panarin is good for better than a point-per-game at home.
COLORADO-NASHVILLE
OVER/UNDERS
Ryan Johansen OVER 0.5 ASSISTS – Nashville’s first-line center has assists in five of his past six home games and Colorado isn’t the type of defensive team that should be able to contain him.
RAPID FIRE
Filip Forsberg +0.5 POINTS vs. Nathan MacKinnon – This is a little against form, given that MacKinnon has 40 points in 31 road games, but getting the half point while playing for the better team nudges this one in Forsberg’s direction.
MONTREAL-TORONTO
OVER/UNDERS
Max Domi UNDER 0.5 ASSISTS – Tie’s kid has had a big season for the Habs, but he also has assists in four of his past 13 road games.
RAPID FIRE
Frederik Andersen +0.5 saves vs. Carey Price – Montreal’s improved shot differentials make this one a closer call than might be expected. On the road this season, Price is averaging 30.44 saves per 60 minutes, while Andersen is putting up 30.72 saves per 60 minutes at home.
ISLANDERS-VANCOUVER
OVER/UNDERS
Mathew Barzal UNDER 0.5 ASSISTS – The Islanders’ star sophomore has failed to record an assist in four of his past five road games.
Antoine Roussel UNDER 0.5 ASSISTS – A first-degree agitator, Roussel can chip in offensively from time to time, but has assists in just three of his past 11 home games.
ANAHEIM-EDMONTON
OVER/UNDER
Leon Draisaitl OVER 0.5 ASSISTS – With Connor McDavid suspended, the offensive pressure in Edmonton falls on Draisaitl, their second-leading scorer. Anaheim does offer a potentially favorable matchup.
Darnell Nurse UNDER 5.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – Not only is that a huge number, but the Edmonton blueliner has topped it just once in his past nine home games.
