Penguins vs Flyers Picks and Predictions: Crosby Leads Pittsburgh in Thrashing of Philadelphia

It’s the last battle among the Keystone State teams and this rivalry is sure to produce some goals – and penalties. The Pittsburgh Penguins have clinched a playoff spot, but they want to keep a hold on third place in the Metropolitan Division over the Washington Capitals.  

The Philadelphia Flyers just snapped a six-game losing streak by beating a team more pathetic than they are – the Montreal Canadiens. Still, they are in last place in the Metropolitan and not playing for a lot. 

Can Pittsburgh win its third consecutive game and keep the Capitals at bay? Check out our thoughts in our free NHL betting picks and predictions for the Penguins vs. the Flyers on Sunday, April 24.

Penguins vs Flyers odds

This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.

The Penguins began as heavy -250 favorites and it’s only gotten higher from there. Both Caesars and WynnBET now have them at -270, but BetMGM has them at the original -240. The Flyers opened at +205 and those odds have lengthened as well, up to +230 at Caesars. The total is at 6.5, with the Over at -109 and the Under getting +105.

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.

Penguins vs Flyers predictions

• Prediction: Penguins -1.5 (+105)
• Prediction: Over 6.5 (-109)
• Best bet: Crosby 2+ pts and Penguins win (+200)

Predictions made on 4/24/2022 at 1:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Penguins vs Flyers game info

• Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Date: Sunday, April 24, 2022
• Puck drop: 4:00 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT

Penguins vs Flyers betting preview

Key injuries

Penguins: Tristan Jarry G (Out), Nathan Beaulieu D (Out).
Flyers: Carter Hart G (Out), Cam Atkinson F (Out), Rasmus Ristolainen D (Out), Cam York D (Out), Kevin Connauton D (Out), Patrick Brown C (Out), Nick Seeler D (Out), Ryan Ellis D (Out), Sean Couturier C (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.

Penguins vs Flyers head-to-head record last five games

Penguins: 5-0 SU, 28 goals for.
Flyers: 0-5 SU, 13 goals for.

Betting trend to know

Sidney Crosby has recorded 2+ points in four of the team's last six games. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Flyers.

Penguins vs Flyers picks and predictions

Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.

Puck line analysis

The Pittsburgh Penguins are desperately trying to hold on to third place in the Metropolitan Division. If they are going to stay in that spot — where they are currently two points ahead of the Washington Capitals — they are going to have to win games like Sunday’s contest against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

They are less than 24 hours from a 7-2 drubbing of another non-playoff team, the Detroit Red Wings. Can they put a similar beatdown on the Flyers?

Yes. Despite the back-to-back games, Pittsburgh should be able to handle the depleted Flyers. Philadelphia currently has eight players injured, five of whom are done for the season. Of those eight, five of them are defensemen, making an already shaky blueline even shakier. 

Meanwhile, the Penguins got Evgeni Malkin back on Saturday from a four-game suspension for cross-checking Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki. Malkin returned to center the second line on Saturday, playing alongside forwards Bryan Rust and Jason Zucker, and scored two goals against lowly Detroit.

Pittsburgh is still missing starting goalie Tristan Jarry, but Casey DeSmith has filled in well for Jarry. But DeSmith has started the last three games and Luis Domingue might get the call today. In the only other game Domingue has started this year, he got the 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. 

With how much is on the line for the Pens and how little the Flyers have to play for, this game could get out of hand quickly for Philly.

Prediction: Penguins -1.5 (+105 at FanDuel)

Over/Under analysis

If it wasn’t the Flyers I would be concerned about reaching the Over, but these teams tend to score goals when they face each other. In the last game, the score was 5-4, and the matchup before that finished 6-2. 

The Over is 5-0 between the two teams when they have played in Philadelphia, and is 19-7-3 in the last 29 meetings. 

Philly being decimated on defense should bring the total Over as it is missing five bodies on the blue line. In the Flyers' last seven games, the opponent has scored four or more goals six times — one of them being a 9-2 slugging by Washington.  

The Penguins have had no recent troubles scoring either. In their last five games, they have scored four or more in all but one. 

Pittsburgh has hit the Over in its last five games against a team with a losing record, and has played 4-0 that way when it is the road favorite. 

Prediction: Over 6.5 (-109 at BetRivers)

Best bet

Sidney Crosby seems to be warming up for the playoffs, as he has been ramping up his play with three games remaining in the regular season. The 34-year-old has 30 goals and 53 assists, but in the last two weeks has really upped his production. 

In his last six games, Crosby has had two or more points in four of them — including a goal and an assist in yesterday's win over the Red Wings.

The Flyers have no one that can defend Crosby. In the last two meetings between the two teams, Sid the Kid has combined for a goal and three apples.

I don’t see any reason why Crosby can’t get two points in Sunday’s final meeting between the two sides. Getting the win will be no issue for the Penguins, but Crosby getting two points might be just as easy. 

Pick: Sidney Crosby to get 2+ points and Penguins to win (+200 at DraftKings)

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