The Boston Bruins (33-20-5) and Philadelphia Flyers (26-21-11) meet in an NHL Eastern Conference duel today. Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m. EST at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. The game will be broadcast live on ABC.
The Flyers are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6 (-115o/-105u). The Flyers are a -120 favorite to win outright, while the Bruins are +100 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Bruins vs. Flyers predictions and NHL picks.
Bruins vs. Flyers Odds, Pick
| Bruins Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -270 | 6 -115o / -105u | +100 |
| Flyers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +220 | 6 -115o / -105u | -120 |
- Bruins vs. Flyers Spread: Bruins +1.5 (-270), Flyers -1.5 (+220)
- Bruins vs. Flyers Over/Under: 6 (-115o/-105u)
- Bruins vs. Flyers Moneyline: Bruins +100, Flyers -120
Bruins vs. Flyers Kalshi Odds
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Bruins vs. Flyers Preview
Boston Bruins
The Bruins picked up right where they left off, beating the Blue Jackets 4–2 on Thursday.
Boston is in an important stretch now, with three games in the next week before the March 6 deadline, and each one could affect their decision-making.
After a slowish start to the season, Boston is 13-2-3 since December 31. It now hold the second Wild Card spot, just three points behind Detroit and Buffalo for a top-three divisional position.
Thursday’s win was important with Columbus closing in. The Blue Jackets came in winners of seven straight and 11 of their last 12, but Boston held them in check, extending their lead in the standings to six points.
Viktor Arvidsson chipped in two goals, and Joonas Korpisalo was outstanding in net, stopping 36 of 38 shots.
Arvidsson is one of two Bruins scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this summer, along with defenseman Andrew Peeke. Both have attracted attention in trade talks, but Boston appears more likely to buy than sell at the deadline. That would make a move involving Arvidsson more surprising than one involving Peeke.
Even with the win, Boston still doesn’t pass the eye test for me. Over the last 10 games, the Bruins rank 31st in expected goal differential (-8.68) and 32nd in expected goals against (39.13). Some negative regression is waiting, though I’ve been saying that for a while and it hasn’t caught up.
Korpisalo got the start Thursday, so Jeremy Swayman is set to return today after winning gold in Milan. Swayman has been respectable, posting a 16.2 GSAx, .903 SV%, and 2.92 GAA in 38 games.
Another plus: David Pastrnak has long been a Flyers killer. He has 26 goals and 45 points in 35 career games against Philly, so this matchup should play in his favor.
Additionally, a key angle to watch will be special teams. Boston ranks third in power-play percentage at 26.5%, while Philadelphia’s penalty kill is middling at 79.5%.
Philadelphia Flyers
Like Boston, the Flyers earned a much-needed win on Thursday, defeating the Rangers 3-2 in overtime.
New York sits last in the Eastern Conference, but Igor Shesterkin started for the first time since early January, making the win a bit more significant. Either way, Philly will take any win it can get right now.
The team had dropped 13 of its last 16 games, and scoring has been an issue all season. Outside of Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras, production is hard to find, and losing Tyson Foerster in early December hasn’t helped.
Matvei Michkov scored twice Thursday, including the overtime winner, which is something they’ll need a lot more of. It’s unfortunate to see him have a quieter season after such a promising rookie year.
Ultimately, defense has kept them afloat through much of the season. Travis Sanheim and Cam York have been solid, while Jamie Drysdale has really made the most of his opportunities. Its playoff hopes are likely gone, but they’ve shown the ability to scrap their way to some impressive wins.
Dan Vladar is expected to get the start in goal. Philly has struggled with consistent goaltending for years, finishing last season with the third-worst team save percentage of any team over the past 30 years.
This season, Vladar has done about as much as you can ask, posting a .905 SV% and ranking 15th in the league with 9.2 GSAx. While not spectacular, he’s had a few elite stretches and is their most reliable netminder in recent memory.
Bruins vs. Flyers Prediction
I think the Flyers catch the Bruins sleeping here. Philly is a weird team. They’ve won just four of their last 17 games, but three of those wins came against Washington, Colorado, and Vegas.
It’s also easy to forget this team was 22-12-7 before the skid. Vladar hasn’t been piling up wins lately, but he’s quietly played well, posting a 2.08 GAA and .918 SV% over his last five appearances.
I’m sticking with my theory that Boston comes back to earth a bit, and an afternoon game in Philly feels like the right spot for it to happen.
Pick: Flyers Moneyline (-120)
