Online Betting OverviewNow that the Super Bowl betting is over, the sports world turns its attention to hockey. The timing is good on this because this weekend features a game between the two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers have been dominant all season long and their hard work has been paying off. The Rangers are the best defensive team in hockey allowing only 102 goals against in 50 games played. An obvious big reason for that success is the play of goaltender Henrik Lyndqvist. But another reason that the Rangers have such low numbers against is the system that head coach John Tortarella has in place. Everyone on the Rangers plays defense and everyone has his position to take care of. The Rangers are very disciplined and are maintaining momentum through consistent play.
The pay per head sports experts have noticed that the Philadelphia Flyers have hit a bit of a snag in the goaltending department. Ever since starting goalie Ilya Bryzgalov refused to play in the Winter Classic, presumably because it was played outdoors and it was too cold, the Flyers have been struggling in goal. Bryzgalov has never really been a steady source of good goaltending for Philadelphia like the team thought he would be. There have been several stretches where backup Sergei Bobrovsky has been put in to relieve a struggling Bryzgalov. But the problem seems to be getting worse and it is affecting Philadelphia’s ability to win games.
New York Rangers
A sportsbook review of the Rangers’ season shows that there is very little to poke holes in when it comes to the way the Rangers play hockey. New York is 17-7-3 on the road and had entered the week with a two-game winning streak. The team scores goals when it needs to, but it exists primarily to play defense. The Flyers from last season used to push the Rangers to play offense. But there is some question as to whether this Flyers’ team will be able to do that this year. The Rangers were battling with the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins for the top spot in the conference. But with consistent defense, the Rangers have been able to pull away.
Philadelphia Flyers
NHL fans in Philadelphia just want a goalie they can rely on when the playoffs come around. Ilya Bryzgalov has proven to be more of a free spirit that he had shown during his time in Phoenix and that is becoming a distraction to the Flyers. Philadelphia was one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, but injuries and team drama are costing Philadelphia games. The Flyers have a chance to settle in and play strong defense in this game and gain its confidence back. It will be interesting to see how Philly responds to this challenge.
The Bottom Line
Philadelphia has been giving up a lot of goals lately and fans are starting to have flashbacks of bad goaltending from days gone by. The one chance that Philly has in this game is that the Flyers can grind with the Rangers and try to pull out a 1-0 win. But to do that, Philly needs some solid goaltending.
Sports Betting blog Pick: New York Rangers
