Rangers, Flyers Set for a Goal Parade

The two hottest teams in the Eastern Conference square off Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in the finale of their home-and-home series – and one team needs the two points a whole lot more than the other. The New York Rangers have won nine of 11, but a 5-2 loss in Philadelphia on Friday leaves them on the outside of the playoff picture.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

You won't often find a line open with even odds, but that's where this one kicked off; the Rangers have since moved into the favorite role at -115 in some spots. The U6.5 is set at -120 at most books, with the O6.5 at +100.

Philadelphia Flyers News & Notes

The Flyers have dominated the head-to-head series with eight wins in the previous nine meetings between the clubs – and coupled with a five-game winning streak overall, there should be plenty of action on the visitors in this one. And Philadelphia would love to carry the momentum of another victory into Wednesday's pivotal tilt with the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals.

The Flyers have plenty of things working at the moment, but the team's offensive surge has been the most impressive part. Philadelphia has scored four or more goals in seven of its previous 10 games, going an incredible 8-2 SU in that span; six skaters are averaging a point per game or better over that stretch, led by Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny with 14 points apiece.

New York Rangers News & Notes

Give the Rangers credit for making a run at a postseason berth despite struggling for most of the first half of the season. And at first glance, bettors might like their chances of vaulting themselves into the wild-card picture; they'll play their next four games at Madison Square Garden, where they average a healthy 3.41 goals per game (ninth-most in the NHL.)

But the task becomes a whole lot tougher with the absence of forward Chris Kreider. The 28-year-old, who signed a seven-year contract extension just prior to Monday's NHL trade deadline, suffered a broken foot in the first period of Friday's loss to the Flyers; there's no timetable for his return to action. Kreider ranks third on the team in goals (24) and fifth in points (45).

Betting Pick: OVER

The Flyers' explosive offense combined with the Rangers' impressive goal-scoring prowess at MSG makes the OVER the superior play despite these teams trending heavily toward the UNDER in recent meetings.