The Vegas Golden Knights (14-6-9) and Philadelphia Flyers (16-9-3) meet Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Golden Knights vs. Flyers and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
2024-25 season series: Golden Knights swept 2-0
The Golden Knights won a wild 5-4 shootout victory as moderate favorites (-135) in last season’s visit to Philadelphia Nov. 25, 2024, as the Over (6.5) cashed. The Golden Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit early in the second period, capped by C Jack Eichel (1 goal, 1 assist), who scored the lone goal in the shootout. VGK has won 5 of the past 6 head-to-head meetings, including 2 of the past 3 trips to Philly.
Vegas suffered a 5-4 loss in a shootout to the New York Islanders Tuesday in the third stop of a 5-game road trip through the Eastern Conference. Former Flyers G Carter Hart stopped 23 of the 27 shots, while Eichel and captain RW Mark Stone had 2 assists apiece, while RW Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist. The setback halted a 4-game win streak for the Golden Knights. The Over has a 3-2 edge in the past 5 games.
Philadelphia picked up a 4-1 home win against the San Jose Sharks Tuesday, cashing as heavy favorites (-185) as the Under (6) cashed. C Christian Dvorak and RW Travis Konecny each posted a goal an assist, providing plenty of support for G Dan Vladar, who kicked aside 17 of the 18 shots.
Golden Knights at Flyers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:44 p.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Golden Knights -155 (bet $155 to win $100) | Flyers +125 (bet $100 to win $125)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Golden Knights -1.5 (+155) | Flyers +1.5 (-190)Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -118 | U: -102)Golden Knights at Flyers projected goalies
Akira Schmid (10-2-4, 2.35 GAA, .903 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Dan Vladar (11-5-1, 2.50 GAA, .908 SV%, 0 SO)
Schmid stopped all 24 shots in Friday’s 3-0 win in New Jersey, picking up his second shutout of the season. Before the shutout, he allowed 3 goals in each of his previous 2 starts. He has allowed 3 or fewer goals in 6 of his past 7 starting assignments.
Vladar kicked aside 17 of the 18 shots in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over the Sharks, picking up his 11th victory of the season. He has also allowed 3 or fewer goals in 5 of his past 6 starts, and 7 of his previous 9 outings.
Golden Knights at Flyers picks and predictionsPrediction
Golden Knights 3, Flyers 2
VEGAS (-155) is worth a look as a moderate favorite, but expect a very close game.
The Golden Knights have played well lately, going 4-0-1 in the past 5 outings, but 4 of those games have been decided by a single goal, including a shootout win and an OT win. Plus, 7 of the past 9 games against the Flyers have been 1-goal games. Expect this to be nip-and-tuck throughout.
Philadelphia +1.5 (-190) is too expensive, costing nearly 2 times the potential return. That’s way too much, even though 7 of the past 9 meetings have been decided by 1 goal, including 3 of the past 6 decided in either OT or a shootout.
I just don’t want to risk this much for such a small return.
AVOID.
BACK UNDER 5.5 (-102) with a half-unit play at best.
Close to even-money, this is a good play, even though this series has seen 3 Overs in a row.
The Under is 2-1 in the past 3 games for Vegas, while the Under has hit in 2 in a row for Philly. With Vladar in net for the Flyers, and the Golden Knights getting solid and timely netminding lately, UNDER 5.5 (-102) is the lean.
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