Welcome to this edition of NHL Predictions. Every day, the Last Word on Hockey team will dive into all the details you need to know about a matchup, analyzing elements and what could weigh into the outcome of the game. Today, we’re checking out the match between the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. Feel free to check out our other NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
NHL Predictions
Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers
Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: TNT, MAX, NBCSP
The Carolina Hurricanes are taking a trip north to the City of Brotherly Love to play the Philadelphia Flyers in a Metropolitan Division matchup. The Flyers are looking to continue climbing up the standings after breaking a three-game winning streak, whereas the Canes are looking to extend their own winning streak to three in a row.
The Flyers Story
So far this season, the Philadelphia Flyers have had a bit of trouble getting going. Currently, they are in the middle of a rebuild and the expectations are low for playoff contention. Despite this, they are still doing decently, sitting at 20th across the league.
In their last game, they faced the Colorado Avalanche at home, in a bit of a celebration for Flyers’ Defenceman Erik Johnson, who won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Avs, as he played his 1,001st game (it was almost perfect). The Avs dominated the first two periods and the beginning of the third. With a three-point deficit, the Flyers rallied in the final ten minutes, Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster both scoring their fourth of the season. However, they ultimately ran out of gas and time, with a final score of 3-2.
The Hurricanes Story
Despite absences from injuries, the Carolina Hurricanes have had an interesting back-to-back homestand over the weekend. Notably, forward Seth Jarvis has been out with an upper-body injury, while goaltender Frederik Andersen remains out indefinitely. This past Saturday, goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov was also out.
During the game against the Ottawa Senators, Spencer Martin stood in the crease with Yaniv Perets as his backup. Filling in for the absent tendie Kochetkov, Spencer Martin did not have the best expectations from many Caniacs. However, in his 60th game, Martin wowed Raleighwood with his first NHL career shutout in a 4-0 win with 24 saves.
The next day, the St. Louis Blues paid a visit in their second game of the season – the first of which they won at home in Missouri. Back in the net, Pyotr Kochetkov made 29 saves in a 4-1 win. Meanwhile, Martin Nečas continued his point streak to 13, the most in his NHL career. During the game, the Czech forward broke a franchise record, becoming the quickest player in a Canes sweater to reach 30 points in a season by achieving an astounding four points on Sunday.
NHL Predictions featuring Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers
In standard statistics, the Flyers have underperformed in essentially every field. Except for one. Their penalty kill remains sharp, nearly ten percent above league average and three percent and some change above the Canes’. However, the Canes have been above league average across the board with few exceptions. As the Canes have dealt with injuries, the Flyers currently are, as well. Jamie Drysdale and Samuel Ersson are the latest to be placed on Injured Reserve. Between the two teams, the Carolina Hurricanes have a leg up over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Prediction: Hurricanes win 5-3
Your Prop Bets of the Night
Bet365 has the over/under at 6.5 goals, with under being their favourite. For anytime goalscorers on the Flyers, the (relatively) safer choice would be Right-winger Travis Konecny (+180), who leads the team in goals and netted two in the previous meeting with the Canes. The higher gamble would be Matvei Michkov (+320), who is overdue for a goal. For anytime goalscorers on the Canes, Martin Nečas (+155) has been lighting it up, scoring twice in the last game. For a player with a bigger return, Jordan Martinook (+375) has been far from shabby this season and is definitely someone for sports bettors to keep an eye on.
Main Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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