Editor's note: This game was postponed for COVID-related issues after the initial publication of this article.
In what will be one of the remaining two NHL games on the schedule before the league’s Christmas break, two Metro rivals in the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers will get down Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers are 4-1 straight up in their last five and will face a Capitals’ team that will be missing four of its top-six forwards.
Can the Capitals pick up a point to take the lead in the Metro Division before the hiatus? Can the Flyers get back to the good side of .500 with a victory? Find out in our free NHL betting picks and predictions for Capitals vs. Flyers.
Capitals vs Flyers odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
The Flyers opened at +105 on the moneyline and have been bet all the way up to +120 with a total of 6 leaning to the Under. The last meeting closed PHI +140 as road underdogs with a total of 6.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until puck drop and be sure to check out the full NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Capitals vs Flyers predictions
Predictions made on 12/21/2021 at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Capitals vs Flyers game info
• Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2021
• Puck drop: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: HULU
Capitals vs Flyers betting preview
Injuries
Capitals: T.J. Oshie F (Out), Evgeny Kuznetsov F (Out), Tom Wilson F (Out), Nicklas Backstrom F (Out).
Flyers: Carter Hart G (Questionable), Sean Couturier F (Out), Kevin Hayes F (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Capitals vs Flyers head-to-head record (since last season)
Capitals: 6-4 U, 34 goals for.
Flyers: 4-6 SU, 28 goals for
Betting trend to know
The Under is 5-1 in the Flyers’ last 6 games playing on 2 days rest. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Flyers.
Capitals vs Flyers picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Moneyline/Puck line analysis
The Capitals will be without their top two centermen Tuesday night as well as a pair of important wingers as Peter Laviolette won't have the services of Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson, and TJ Oshie. This is an incredible handicap for the Capitals and it’s surprising this game wasn’t canceled like the other 28 games prior to Christmas. But the Capitals’ absences are the spoils of the Flyers, who have been playing some good hockey of late.
After a 10-game losing streak - and getting their coach canned - the Flyers have gone 4-1 in their last five games and have taken nine of a possible 10 points. The competition has been a little weak with games against the Senators, Canadiens, Devils, Coyotes, and Golden Knights over that stretch, but they’ll have a huge opportunity to grab another two points against a makeshift Capitals team that they’ve already beaten once this year as +140 road underdogs.
The Flyers won that game, 2-1, and didn’t even have the services of No. 1 netminder Carter Hart as backup Martin Jones stopped 31 of 32 shots in the victory. The wounded Capitals could see Hart tonight, who has a 1.99 GAA and a .946 SV% over his last four starts. He’s struggled against the Capitals in the past (3.63 GAA in three starts vs. Washington last season), but with so many missing pieces, especially on the power play, Tuesday could be a different story.
Hart was dealing with a non-COVID illness on Monday but has been reported to be feeling better. Even if he doesn’t go, Jones showed he can shut this Washington team down and the Philadelphia backup has won back-to-back starts.
The Capitals have been playing anything but consistent hockey in recent weeks. They’ve won two straight games just once in their last nine and are 4-5 SU over that stretch. In those nine games, the power play is scoring at just 4.8%, the penalty kill is at a 68% success rate, and they’re allowing 3.11 goals per game. They're coming off a game where they blew a late 2-0 lead to the Kings at home and lost in regulation. Washington wasn’t playing great with a full roster and we don’t expect the Caps to put in a big effort on the road with the break looming on the horizon.
Philadelphia is still paying +120 on the ML, which is a solid price considering they were +140 in Washington with their backup and a healthier Capitals squad. If Hart starts, this line could move as +120 could be the high point for the Philadelphia ML.
Prediction: Flyers ML (+120)
Over/Under analysis
The Capitals will be without four of their best forwards, which has us surprised that we’re seeing a total of 6 here. The Flyers will also be without their No. 1 center in Sean Couturier. Add in the fact that this has the stench of a “get-away game” for both clubs with the break following the conclusion of the contest, and we’d be willing to bet that tonight could feature a sloppy hockey game.
Looking at special teams, the Caps have just one PP goal in their last nine games while the Flyers have managed to draw just four penalties over their last three and failed to score on any of them. Both teams went a combined 0 for 4 on the PP in the mast meeting in November.
Washington is the highest-scoring team at 5-on-5 in hockey but it’ll be missing 25% of those even-strength goal-scorers. The Flyers sit in the Bottom-10 in 5-on-5 goals per game and have taken advantage of a weak schedule lately, which is why we've seen them score 21 goals over their last five games. During the 10-game losing streak that lasted three weeks, the Flyers tallied just 18 total goals.
Neither Washington goalie changes things much in terms of total and ML. Both Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov have nearly identical numbers and their inconsistencies make trusting them difficult.
The total is a pass for us, but there is a little value on the Under with so many important pieces of the offense on the sidelines.
Prediction: Under 6 (-115)
Best bet
Putting your money down before a goalie confirmation is not always suggested but if Hart does feel good — and reports are showing that he is — he could draw the start, which would be another big reason to like the Flyers here at +120 on the ML.
With all the pieces missing for the Capitals, we didn’t even consider their -140 price tag. Yes, the Capitals have had plenty of success in Philadelphia (4-0 SU last season), but Tuesday's game offers a very different landscape than your garden variety regular-season clash.
Philly is in better form, is healthier, and took the last meeting as +140 road dogs. Betting on the NHL right now is quite unpredictable so we’re taking the plus money on the home side Tuesday and hoping to enter the break in the black.
Pick: Flyers ML (+120)
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