-
Recent Posts
Archives
Meta
Monthly Archives: April 2011
Buffalo Sabres vs. Philadelphia Flyers – NHL Match Preview
On Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center, the second seeded Philadelphia Flyers will take on the Buffalo Sabres in NHL game seven.
Philadelphia would seem to have the edge at home, once down 3-2. But this season, Buffalo played better on the road. It would help the Flyers’ cause, if Chris Pronger is healthy enough to play full time. In Game 6, he played only on the power play. Since the Sabres’ power play has been better than theirs, the Flyers want to stay out of the penalty box. Philadelphia wants to neutralize Thomas Vanek, Buffalo’s most dangerous scorer, and also must deal with Derek Roy’s return.
Philadelphia’s Brian Boucher scored 3-1, 2.12 goals against average, .935 save percentage and Buffalo’s Ryan Miller scored 3-3, 2.61, .925. Even though Boucher’s solid performance in Game 6 relief would seem to give him the edge to be the Game 7 starter the Flyers have used three goalies. The Sabres have the edge in net in theory.
In the series Buffalo center Brad Boyes, picked up to help the offense, hasn’t registered a point. Philadelphia, C Jeff Carter (knee) won’t play Game 7. Buffalo, Tim Connolly will sit out after being pushed headfirst into the boards in Game 6; Roy (quadriceps) will play for the first time since December, will return to action; RW Jason Pominville (leg) is expected to miss the game; D Shoane Morrison, RW Mike Grier and RW Patrick Kaleta are day to day.
For the Sabres to win, Miller will need to be their best player. For this match, in NHL betting odds, the over is 1.77 and the under is 2.09 while the total is at 1.5.
Sunday Clash Between Detroit Red Wings And Chicago Blackhawks
On Sunday afternoon the Detroit Red Wings will skate into Chicago to face the Blackhawks in what could be a potential first round playoff matchup.
In NHL Odds and NHL Betting, Detroit is at 8-1 to win the Stanley Cup. In NHL free picks the Blackhawks are at 18-1.
For both teams this game will actually be the second of a home and home series to close out the 2010-2011 regular season. When it comes to playoff berths and seeding surprisingly, with only two games remaining for both clubs there is still a lot left to be decided.
With a crucial victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night, Chicago helped its chances of making the playoffs again this year. With four points ahead of Dallas who is in ninth place and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, that overtime victory puts the Blackhawks in seventh place in the Western Conference. During the weekend series with Detroit, Chicago will really help secure its playoff status with at least one point.
After winning the Central Division last weekend On the other hand, the Red Wings are already locked into a playoff position. The Red Wings have made the postseason for a record twenty years in a row with this year’s playoff berth. In all of the four major sports this streak is also the longest streak for any team.
Detroit still has a chance to jump into the number two seed in the Western Conference, while the Red Wings are gearing up for another long playoff run. In the standings, currently the Red Wings trail San Jose by one point. The Red Wings will need to try their best to win these last two remaining games against Chicago over the weekend if they would like to secure home ice for the first two rounds. In Stanley Cup betting lines the Detroit Red Wings are favorite to win this match.
New York Rangers face Stanley Cup favorite Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday on NBC
In a possible first round playoff matchup, the New York Rangers will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers on Sunday on NBC (12:30 pm ET).
NHL Betting Odds have the Rangers at 35-1 to win the Stanley Cup while the Flyers are at 11-2.
Currently, the Rangers find themselves in a fight for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. New York and Buffalo are tied for the eighth spot with eighty seven points, three points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes. Gaining two points in this contest may be crucial to New York’s chances of surviving the first round of the playoffs.
If the Rangers get matched up against the Flyers, not many people will be expecting the Rangers to win that series, especially after New York has won just one of five games so far this year against Philadelphia.
While this game is obviously important to New York for numerous reasons, the Flyers will be trying to get two points as well to help secure first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. That number one seed will allow Philadelphia to have home ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they have 21-11-6 record.
In addition to being in a division race with Pittsburgh, the Flyers are also trying to hold off a red hot Washington team for the best record in the Eastern Conference. With very few games left on the schedule, every chance to gain two points in the standings is amplified.