The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers clash in a continuation of a long-standing rivalry. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word On Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for all the NHL’s games. In tonight’s matchup, the Penguins travel across Pennsylvania to face the Flyers in Philadelphia.
NHL Predictions
Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Head-to-Head: Flyers 0-0 Penguins
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
How to Watch TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh; Sportsnet One; TVAS; ESPN
Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins take on Matvei Michkov and the Philadelphia Flyers in a classic rivalry matchup.
The Penguins Story
The Penguins are coming off a 6-3 win against the St. Louis Blues last night. That was a tough game last night, after the fan fell and left the arena in critical condition. Stay tuned on social media when more recent updates become available as to his condition.
Back to hockey, and the win improves the Penguins’ record to 7-2-1, their best start to a season since 2016-17. Coming into the season expected by sportsbooks and analysts alike to finish bottom five, if not bottom three in the league, Pittsburgh has shocked the hockey world with a fantastic start to the season. With the win against St. Louis, the Penguins also extend their point streak to six games, dating back to the October 16th win over the Los Angeles Kings. Although it’s early in the season, this start from Pittsburgh could present a new wrinkle in the plans of general manager Kyle Dubas regarding the team’s future direction.
The stars came out to play against the Blues. Captain Sidney Crosby, along with Erik Karlsson and Bryan Rust, all scored three points in the win against St. Louis. The “Mutant Line” of Evgeni Malkin, Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha continues to factor into play as well. Mantha scored in his second straight game, while Malkin and Brazeau recorded two points apiece. Tristan Jarry shut down the game at crucial moments, never allowing the Blues to take a lead, aiding Pittsburgh in the win. Playing against a stingy Flyers team, the Penguins stars will need to shine again in order to continue the point streak.
The Flyers Story
The Philadelphia Flyers are in a bit of a half-way place, unsure if they’re in a full rebuild, but not expected to be a Stanley Cup contender either. The Flyers are 4-3-1 to start the season, coming off a 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders in the shootout. Having lost two straight, the Flyers hope to bounce back in a game against their rival Penguins. Under new head coach Rick Tocchet, offence has been the name of the game for Philadelphia.
The Flyers have gotten production from all over their lineup. Captain Sean Couturier and Trevor Zegras are tied for the team lead in points. Both forwards have produced eight points through eight games this season. Depth scoring has been another area the Flyers have gotten a lot of production from. Ten of the Flyers skaters have scored at at least a half a point-per-game pace through eight games. While the Flyers have come out scoring, highly touted prospect Matvei Michkov has struggled. Michkov, expected to blossom into a superstar winger, has scored just one goal and two assists in eight games. The young star has even been benched for portions of games. Michkov getting his game going will be important for the Flyers in this matchup against Pittsburgh.
NHL Prediction
The Penguins come into this contest with a ton of momentum and building confidence. Expect them to continue their point streak and win over their rival in the Flyers.
NHL Prediction: Penguins Win 5-3
Prop Bets of the Night
A popular prop bet is the total goals over-8, with odds of +440. The Penguins and Flyers are both scoring at a high rate. Expect an offensive battle between these long-time rivals.
Main Photo: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: October 28th Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.