Only $7 at SportsMemo.
Andrew McInnis is rolling at a 72% clip in hockey going back to the Olympic break — and he hasn’t slowed down. A 3-1 night Wednesday proved the heater is alive and well.
Now he attacks a classic HOT vs COLD showdown — two teams trending in completely different directions.
When the edge is clear, McInnis strikes.
Don’t miss this one. Just $7.
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Today’s Free Picks
| Sport | Game Selection | Game Time |
|---|---|---|
| NHL | (29) Philadelphia Flyers at (30) New York Rangers: Total | 8:07pm EST - Feb 26/2026 |
The PLAY: Total Over 5.5 (-131)
Flyers/Rangers OVER 5.5 - SHOP FOR 5.5 BEST PRICE YOU CAN.
As the NHL returns from the Olympic break, this is one of those early-slate spots where structure typically lags behind offense. Long layoffs disrupt defensive timing far more than scoring touch, and the first few days back consistently produce high-variance games.
Even though yesterday’s return slate featured several Unders, that doesn’t change the underlying theory. One night of results doesn’t erase the reality that these early post-break environments tend to produce volatility — especially when totals are posted at 5.5. Low numbers like this leave very little margin for defensive mistakes, and these games are rarely clean.
That’s exactly why 5.5 stands out here.
Oddsmakers often hang standard totals before fully adjusting for the chaos that comes with extended breaks — sloppy puck management, neutral zone turnovers, and inconsistent goaltending. This matchup has all of it.
The Rangers entered the break in poor defensive form. Over their last 10 games, they were allowing 30.0 shots against per game and 19.3 scoring chances against per game — numbers that point to structural issues, not just bad bounces. Madison Square Garden hasn’t been a defensive fortress either, with New York consistently giving up quality looks off the rush and struggling to clear the net front.
On the other side, Samuel Ersson’s road splits are a major concern. Over his last 180 minutes away from home, he owns a .839 save percentage. His rebound control has been inconsistent, and when he faces sustained pressure in hostile buildings, games tend to open up quickly. Against a Rangers offense with elite finishing talent, that volatility matters.
Neither of these teams has shown the ability to consistently control play, which sets up for a transition-heavy, back-and-forth game. Add in the likelihood of tighter whistles early after a long break and more special teams opportunities, and this projects as a game where mistakes get punished.
This isn’t a blind Over. It’s a situational edge combined with two defensive profiles trending the wrong direction.
With 5.5 on the board, the value is on the Over before the market adjusts upward in these early post-break spots.
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Consultant Bio
Canadian sports handicapper Andrew McInnis hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Andrew decided to hang up the basketball shoes and take an interest in sports media. Covering local hockey and basketball teams Andrew learned all of the ins and outs of what these professional teams go through on a daily basis. Combining his knowledge of sports media, Andrew began handicapping sports. Being north of the border and from the East Coast, Andrew specializes in the NHL and CFL but also handicaps the MLB, Tennis and NFL. Using his IQ of sports along with ability to read trends, patterns, statistics and much more, Andrew has turned into a successful sports handicapper. In his spare time Andrew enjoys playing basketball, spending time at his cottage, coaching youth basketball and volleyball and listening to popular hip-hop music and Country music. In 2018, Andrew joined Sports Memo as a sports handicapper. With his experience in the sports world, sports journalism background and his ability to breakdown games, read lines, team trends, all of this combined sets Andrew up to be a successful sports bettor. As a young sports handicapper, during his time in college taking Radio and Television, Andrew covered local amateur pro hockey teams and university basketball events. Having a job doing interviews, videography work and stats, this type of work really helped Andrew understand the numbers that go into sports statistics that not many people get to see. Andrew spends countless hours reading media reports, player scouting reports and team previews on each sports he handicaps, not to mention he is very strict with familiarizing himself with past matchup trends and statistics. For the past two years Andrew has been featured on Sportsbook Reviews website and YouTube page talking NHL and CFL betting. Being from north of the border Andrew feels he has the biggest advantage in the CFL and NHL as he has numerous outlets and connections to hear breaking news and team information. Andrew has also been featured on NEWS 95.7 news sports radio and has been a guest on the Fantasy Sports Network Radio talking NHL playoffs.