Philadelphia Flyers vs Montreal Canadiens Preview
This week in the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers host the Montreal Canadiens in what is shaping up to be a big game. The Flyers are sixth in the Eastern Conference, only a couple of points ahead of the pack chasing the last playoff spots. The Canadiens are towards the bottom of the table, four points behind the Lightning in 12th. With the season nearly halfway through, both sides must find a way to win games.
The two teams face off at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on January 10 at 7:00 PM EST. The Flyers enter this contest with seven losses in ten games after facing defeat to the Penguins on Monday. Montreal has been far from consistent this season, but a surprise victory against the Rangers will give the Canadiens a much-needed boost. Can Philadelphia stop the stream of defeats, or is it time for Montreal to mount a charge for a spot in the playoffs?
Philadelphia Flyers vs Montreal Canadiens Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The Flyers have faced off against the Canadiens hundreds of times over the years. These stats are useful, but games from over 50 years ago tend to skew the numbers. To give you the most recent information, we are examining the last 18 meetings between the sides. These games took place between January 2019 and February 2023, resulting in both sides winning on nine occasions.
The Flyers last played on Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a poor performance from the team from Philly, who lost the game 4-1. The match started with a busy first period, but the Penguins struck first. A power-play goal inside the first minute by Rickard Rakell, followed by a long-range shot by Karlsson, gave the away side the lead. The Flyers got one back inside for 15 minutes, a beautiful move finished by Owen Tippet. However, another shot from distance caught out the Flyers goalie to make the score 3-1 in the second period. The fourth and final Penguins goal came from poor passing at the back by Philly, and an uncontested Evgeni Malkin attempt was the dagger in the Hart for the Flyers.
Tipper with a power play ripper. #PITvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/391O1Z0NyS
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 9, 2024
The match before the Penguins was a narrow victory for the Flyers, as they got revenge on Calgary after suffering a defeat on New Year’s Day. This time, the Flyers did enough to secure victory, 3-2, with a goal early in the third period proving to be enough. The first period was scoreless, and the biggest highlight was two penalties to each side.
The second period saw most of the action, including four goals shared between the two. The Flames scored first, thanks to a successful solo drive by Jonathan Huberdeau. Two minutes later, the Flyers responded with a rebound goal from Morgan Frost. Calgary took the lead again, capitalizing on poor defending from Philadelphia. Both goaltenders had a lot to do in the second period, but it was Markstrom who was the busier. He pulled off several great saves before Sean Couturier capitalized on the power play. The Flyers were a defensive mess early in the third period, giving Travis Konecny the chance to score a shorthanded goal and wrap up the victory for Philly.
The Canadiens’ last game came on Sunday, and they won 4-3 after penalties against the New York Rangers. The Rangers started the game on top, but a wonderful shot from Brendan Gallagher helped Montreal lead the first period. After the break, New York was full of mistakes. After losing the puck by the boards, the Canadiens drive at the net. A deflected shot gets the better of Quick after a minute of play. Around a minute later, Montreal increased their lead with some brilliant passing and a goal by Joel Armia. With the score three to zip, the Rangers finally got into the game. Vincent Trocheck tips a long-range shot into the net, giving the visitors a chance. A few minutes later, New York won the drop, and Artemi Panarin was there to score in an almost empty net.
In the third period, Will Cuylle blocks the goaltenders’ vision, and a long-range effort by Adam Fox levels the game. The rest of the period is quiet but with big saves from both goaltenders. The last seconds before overtime involves a scramble by the New York net, but the chance goes begging for the Canadiens. Overtime comes and goes with both teams missing chances to win the game. The game went to penalties, and only one player scored, Cole Caufield, leaving Montreal the narrow winner on game day.
Philadelphia Flyers vs Montreal Canadiens Predictions
Looking at the betting odds available at online sportsbooks, there is a unanimous favorite. Even with the mid-week defeat to the Penguins, the Flyers have odds of -175 for the game this Wednesday. That means a $25 bet on the home team will give you $39.29 if they win on the day. The Canadiens have odds of +135, which returns $58.75 if they win by any scoreline.
We predict a much closer game than what the sportsbooks are suggesting. The Flyers are still the most likely to win, and we think they will beat Montreal with one or two goals. There is no doubt the Canadiens have underperformed this season as they sit thirteenth in the Eastern Conference. However, they enter this game as the more in-form side, having won two of their last six games. Philadelphia has only won one game in six, losing to the Penguins, Blue Jackets, Oilers, Flames, and Kraken recently. Even with a string of poor performances, we predict the Flyers will beat the Canadiens.
An underdog bet this Wednesday does not seem like a bad idea considering previous results. The Flyers never really got going against the Penguins, who are also struggling this season in the NHL. Mistakes and poor defending meant Philadelphia had a mountain to climb on Monday night. Whereas, Montreal got a result against the New York Rangers, one of the best-performing franchises this season. However, the Canadiens let a 3-0 lead slip and narrowly clinched the game on penalties. A win is a win, but that Montreal backline is certainly leaky.
The Canadiens have conceded three or more goals in the past six games. This includes a 6-1 hammering courtesy of the Sabres and a 4-1 defeat from the Panthers before the New Year. The Flyers’ defensive record is not much better, meaning we could be in for a high-scoring game. Looking at the goalie stats, Carter Hart has the advantage with a better goal-against average of 2.69 and a higher save percentage of .911. Sam Montembeault has a GAA of 2.93 and a save percentage of .906. Plus, Montembeault is riding a high having stopped all three New York Rangers penalties in their last game.
The Canadiens’ season is one to forget so far. They are eight places away from the bottom of the NHL table, way off the likes of Philadelphia. However, with the season edging close to halfway, now is a good time to string a few results together. Even though momentum could be on Montreal’s side, we still think the Flyers have the personnel to control the game and defeat the Canadiens.
Philadelphia Flyers vs Montreal Canadiens Betting Picks
Betting on any NHL game is always more difficult than you would think. Anything can happen in hockey, and although we are almost halfway through the season, a lot can change between now and the playoffs. The Canadiens have the third-fewest wins in the Eastern Conference but are only seven points away from the Flyers. A few consecutive results and suddenly Montreal is not out of the equation.
When betting on hockey games with a clear favorite, you must adjust your strategy if you want large returns. Betting on the Flyers to win this match will return little profit, which brings other markets into play. One of the best ways to still bet on the full-time result but with greater returns is to look at spreads or handicaps. Choosing the winning margin after three periods is significantly more rewarding. For example, the Flyers to win by two or more goals has odds of +140. A $25 wager on this market yields $60, even better returns than an underdog bet.
Other wagers to consider include the over or under-market. This is where you can predict the total number of goals scored by one or both sides. We predict this match will be high-scoring, which has fantastic returns. The scoreline having over 6.5 goals has odds of +120 for Wednesday’s game.
One last betting option to consider for this game is live betting. If you have yet to sample live betting, it’s a fantastic opportunity to wager on the NHL while the match unfolds. Say Nick Suzuki comes out firing slap shots. You could bet on him to score the next goal or finish the game with a certain number of points. You could also bet on Hart getting a shutout if he pulls out incredible saves. Live betting is a fantastic way to watch a match. You can wager on events as they develop.
If you sign up for Novibet, you will receive a welcome offer to help you get started at the sportsbook. You can use your welcome bonus to place a risk-free bet on this fixture. If you bet on the underdog this Wednesday using your free bet, you could win without risking your cash. If the Canadiens pull off a miracle against the Flyers, you win actual money. But, if they fall short, you lose the promotion, not your deposited funds.
Philadelphia Flyers Team News and Lineup
The Flyers have gone 3-4-3 in the ten most recent games. The franchise is hoping for a result to help get their season back on track. As far as injuries go, there are only two Philadelphia players unavailable for the game. Noah Cates is still out with a broken leg, and Ryan Ellis has a back injury. There is no official timeline for a return for either player. They could be out for weeks or months.
- Flyers Predicted Lineup: C. Hart, T. Sanheim, C. York, T. Konecny, S. Couturier, and J. Farabee.
Montreal Canadiens Team News and Lineup
Over the last ten games, the Montreal Canadiens have a record of 5-4-1. They are showing signs of life after what many consider a poor start to the season. Montreal was experimenting with Jake Allen and Sam Montembeault in goal, but after the 6-1 thrashing, they might stick with Montembeault. Unfortunately, the Canadiens have significantly more injuries than most NHL teams, with seven players out. Kirby Dach, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Christian Dvorak, Alex, Newhook, Chris Wideman, Carey Price, and Tanner Pearson are unavailable for this game.
- Canadiens Predicted Lineup: S. Montembeault, D. Savard, M. Matheson, J. Slafkovsky, N. Suzuki, and C. Caufield.
