In a game that features two squads currently on losing streaks, the Dallas Stars and the Philadelphia Flyers clash at the Wells Fargo Center. This East-West matchup will get started at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 19, and it’s being televised live on Fox Sports Southwest.
Dallas Stars vs. Philadelphia Flyers Odds
Philadelphia (-145) is tabbed as the favorite over Dallas (+125), and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total sit at -130 for the over and +110 for the under.
The Flyers are 2-3 straight-up (SU) and have hurt moneyline bettors to the tune of -1.1 units so far. That early-season winning percentage is a regression from the 37-45 record that the team managed during the 2018-19 season campaign. Through five regular season contests, three of the team’s games have gone under the total, while two have gone over and none have pushed. Thus far, the team is 2-0 SU at home.
Philadelphia has successfully found the net on 30.0 percent of its power play opportunities in 2019-20. That’s a significant improvement from last year, when it was ranked 23rd in the league by scoring on 17.1 percent of its extra-man opportunities. Its penalty kill has fallen off noticeably year-over-year as it has gone from successfully defending 78.5 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 26th overall last season) to 76.9 percent this year.
Philadelphia, as a collective unit, has been whistled for penalties just 2.8 times per game this season, a number that’s improved from last year’s 3.7 penalties per game the team gave up. After serving an average of 8.9 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to stave off opponent power plays for only 5.6 minutes per outing this year.
Averaging 21.3 saves per game with a .904 save percentage, Carter Hart (2-2-1) has been the best goalkeeper for the Flyers this season. If they decide to rest him, however, head coach Alain Vigneault may turn to the winless Brian Elliott (0-2-2 record, .911 save percentage, 2.97 goals against average).
Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov will each lead the offensive attack for the Flyers. Konecny (seven points) is up to three goals and four assists while Provorov has one goal and three assists to his name so far in the season’s early stages.
Dallas has lost 7.2 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year and is currently 1-8 straight up (SU). A total of six of its games have gone under the total, while two have gone over and none have pushed. As the away team so far, Dallas is 1-5 SU.
Dallas has scored on 4.0 percent of its power play chances this year after converting on 21.2 percent of its extra-man opportunities in 2018-19 (which ranked them seventh league-wide in that category). The team’s gone from successfully defending 84.4 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked third overall last season) to 84.8 percent this year.
Dallas’ skaters have been called for penalties 3.7 times per game this season, a number that’s pretty close to the 3.5 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 7.7 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team has been forced to kill penalties for 7.6 minutes per outing this year.
Ben Bishop (.899 save percentage and 2.84 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Dallas. Bishop is averaging 25.2 saves per game and owns a 1-5-1 record.
Roope Hintz (five goals, one assist) and Miro Heiskanen (two goals, three assists) are the top offensive options for Dallas and will lead the attack for the visiting Stars.
Dallas Stars at Philadelphia Flyers Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Flyers, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- The total has gone under in four of Dallas’ last five games.
- Dallas has managed 25.8 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Philadelphia has been attempting 36.0 shots per game over its last five home outings.
- Philadelphia has given up 4.0 goals per game, while managing just 2.0 per contest, in its last three contests (the team is 0-3 SU over that stretch).
- Dallas has yet to win a game by two more more goals this season.
- Dallas skaters recorded 22.7 hits per game last season, while the Flyers forced 21.4 hits per matchup.
