The Philadelphia Flyers have done an excellent job of saving their season and are back in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as a result, but they’ll face a tough test when they welcome the NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning to Wells Fargo Arena tonight. Sportsbooks opened the Flyers as +130 home underdogs with a total of 6.5.
Lightning vs Flyers Game Center
Standout Stats
- The Flyers have won three straight and have earned points in 13 of their last 14 games, going 12-1-1 in that span.
- The Lightning have won four in a row over the Flyers, with three of those games going to overtime. Tampa Bay scored 23 goals in the four victories while posting an average winning margin of 1.8 goals.
- Flyers goaltender Carter Hart has won 10 of his past 11 decisions and is 13-6-1 SU with a .924 save percentage this season. This is the rookie’s first career meeting with the Bolts.
- Philadelphia and Tampa Bay have gone OVER in their previous seven matchups with an average combined score of 8.7 goals. In the two meetings between the squads this season, they’ve combined for 22 goals, with the Lightning winning 6-5 in OT in both tilts.
- NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov recorded five points in a 5-1 win over Columbus on Monday and has 18 of his 99 points on the year in the last five games. Kucherov registered six points in the two matchups with the Flyers.
- The Lightning are 6-0 SU in their past six games with an average winning margin of 3.3 goals. Over their last three, they’ve scored 14 goals while surrendering only one.
My best bet for Lightning-Flyers
OVER 6.5 goals
While Hart has been a revelation for the Flyers, he hasn’t faced a team with the offensive punch the Lightning possess. Tampa Bay and Philly have been on offensive tears of late and I’m not expecting the scoring surge to slow down any time soon. The Lightning have been flat-out dominating opponents lately, yet the Flyers should keep this one relatively close. Take the OVER.
