Philadelphia Flyers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction, Betting Odds, and Our Best Bet

The Flyers and Blue Jackets are meeting at Nationwide Arena tonight in what we feel is going to be an intriguing matchup between two evenly matched Metropolitan Division rivals.

Both teams share identical records but they’re coming in tonight with different recent trajectories. Who’s going to win out? Of course, we’ve got the prediction.

Betting Odds and Public Trends

The Flyers are slight favorites at -115, with the Blue Jackets close behind at -105. There’s no surprise here given their records, but the Flyers are looking a bit better overall, but more on that in a minute.

The over/under is set at 6 goals, which isn’t really high or low, so we’ll leave that as it sits.

Public betting shows most bets (70%) favoring Columbus, but the money is straight up split down the middle, 50-50, highlighting what sharp bettors see in the Flyers.

Flyers Betting Analysis

Philadelphia is on a 3-game losing skid. They’ve fallen to Utah, Boston, and Florida while conceding a total of a whopping 15 goals. 

Despite these struggles, their PK unit has been nothing less than solid at 80.5% (good for 12th in the NHL). 

Offensively, they’re averaging a decent 2.86 goals per game, with Travis Konecny leading the way. At the very least, we can say they’re finding the back of the net. Konecny has been a consistent force in the zone, with 13 goals and 19 assists, but the supporting cast has been somewhat inconsistent.

Goaltender Samuel Ersson has been serviceable, but not great. He’s posting a 2.83 GAA and .897 save percentage, but the team’s defense, ranked 27th in goals allowed, needs to tighten up.

The Flyers have proven they can win, but is tonight the night they get back on their feet? The Blue Jackets might see otherwise.

Blue Jackets Betting Analysis

Columbus just snapped their own 3-game skid with a dominant 4-1 win over Winnipeg.

Their offense has been far more effective than Philly’s as they’re averaging a decent 3.41 goals per game, but their defensive issues mirror the Flyers. They’re giving up an eye-watering 3.56 goals per game. Zach Werenski has been the offensive catalyst the team was looking for, with 8 goals and 20 assists.

Elvis Merzlikins has been shaky in net as well, with a 2.95 GAA and .893 save percentage, but his record at home (9 wins) goes to show the Blue Jackets’ ability to rally in familiar surroundings. 

Columbus is also 8-3-1 at Nationwide Arena which means they thrive with their home-ice advantage.

Key Matchup Insights

So, where is the Flyers vs. Blue Jackets matchup heading?  These are some insights you might want to consider when making your bets.

• Scoring Trends. Columbus boasts a more potent offense. However, both teams struggle defensively giving up plenty of goals. The over/under of 6 goals seems attainable, especially with both teams ranking in the bottom of the NHL for goals against. Now that 6 goal total doesn’t seem so bad after all.
• Injuries. Columbus is without some of their key contributors like Erik Gudbranson and Yegor Chinakhov, while the Flyers are missing Ryan Ellis and Nicolas Deslauriers. Both teams are thin defensively and their goalies aren’t hot.
• Special Teams. The Flyers hold a solid edge in penalty killing, but their power play has been less than stellar at 16.9%, compared to Columbus’ slightly better 17.4%. Things will get interesting once the penalty box starts filling up with bodies.

All of that to say, we think this game will be explosive.

Prediction and Best Bet

The Blue Jackets’ strong home form gives them the edge tonight.

While the Flyers’ PK unit and Konecny’s offensive contributions are some serious strengths to consider, their recent defensive struggles and lackluster road record (6-4-3) raise concerns. 

On the other hand, Columbus has proven to be a tough out at Nationwide Arena and has more consistent scoring options.

HelloRookie’s Pick: Take the Blue Jackets (-105) to win on the ML. We’re thinking that their offensive depth and home-ice advantage should carry them to notch the win.

For bettors interested in totals bets, the over 6 goals is a decent bet considering the defensive vulnerabilities of both teams. We’re expecting a high-scoring game in Columbus tonight.