Toronto at Philadelphia -160
Recommendation: Under 5.5 +110
To the casual NHL fan this game at first glance screams OVER the total, but as a delusional ESPN analyst says, "Not so fast!" We have to take into account how each team is playing recently. Teams go through peaks and valleys all season long due to injuries and/or confidence issues. The Boston Bruins are a perfect example of this – abysmal start only to tear off one of the greatest months in NHL memory during November. After that huge run we are seeing goals a little harder to come by for the Bruins and we are seeing similar problems with Philadelphia’s offense as well. The Flyers averaged 3.66 goals per game during their first 29 games but have dipped down to 2.75 gpg in their last 24 games and an even worse 2.20 gpg in their last five contests. Philadelphia has dealt with some key injuries lately and are still not 100 percent healthy. Toronto comes into tonight's matchup having played 10 of their last 13 games UNDER the total; doing it with stingy defense that allowed just 1.92 gpg during that 13-game span. These teams have also gone UNDER the total in six of their last eight meetings. Follow the trends, fade the public, and take this game UNDER the 5.5 total with a little plus price tacked on.
