NHL : Home Stretch for Playoff Hopefuls

Fresh off a commanding 5-2 win following the All-Star Break, the Montreal Canadiens (30-14-7 SU, 31-20 ATS) are racking up more units (22.98) against the puck line than any other team. A lot of that is thanks to Max Pacioretty (24 goals, 18 assists), who’s coming off a hat trick against the Buffalo Sabers and is poised to continue leading the offensive output for the NHL’s seventh highest scoring team (3.02 goals per game).

Goaltender Carey Price, meanwhile, has looked better of late. After struggling for the better part of the last two months, Price seems to have found his stride again, going four straight games with a save percentage of .920 or higher. The Habs now head to Philadelphia where they’ll look to set the tone for the final leg their season.

The Philadelphia Flyers (25-20-6 SU, 20-31 ATS) are coming off of a tough loss. They fell 5-1 to the Hurricanes in their first game back after the break. Wayne Simmonds (21 goals, 17 assists) took home the All-Star Game MVP award on Sunday and was the Flyers’ lone representative at the game. He’ll need to harness some of that magic in the Flyers’ final 31 games, as Philadelphia currently sits in the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Game time is 7 PM ET.

NHL Odds: Habs Versus Flyers on Thursday

The Montreal Canadiens (30-14-7) stop in Philadelphia on Thursday (7 PM ET on Sportsnet East) and will attempt to make a push in the homestretch. Currently sitting first in the Atlantic Division, the Habs have gotten key players back healthy, including Andrei Markov and David Desharnais, and will look to build momentum against an inconsistent Flyers squad.

The Flyers (25-20-6) are clinging to the last playoff position in the Eastern Conference and are coming off of a 5-1 drubbing from the lowly Carolina Hurricanes. Look for a bounce back game from Philadelphia and a strong defensive road game from the Canadiens.