by Chuck Sommers
Monday, Dec 06, 2021
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Where to watch: NBCSP+, ALT, ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Avalanche -164, Flyers +136
BetMGM: Avalanche -161, Flyers +135
Caesars: Avalanche -161, Flyers +140
Season record
Avalanche: 12-7-2 (5th place, Central Division)
Flyers: 8-10-4 (7th place, Metropolitan Division)
Al McMordie is back in the rink on Monday, as he looks to bounce back off Sunday's 2-4 day. Big Al passed in hockey yesterday, while going 2-1 in the NFL, but 0-3 in hoops. Now, for Monday, pick up Big Al's NHL Division Game of the Week out of a super 73% situation. Catch Al’s and other plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Avalanche - Flyers preview and analysis
Recent form
Avalanche: lost two of three; lost 6-5 (OT) at Senators on Saturday
Flyers: lost eight straight; lost 7-1 vs. Lightning on Sunday
The Alain Vigneault era in Philadelphia is over, which means Monday's matchup between the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche could go either way.
On one hand, you have a Flyers team that has lost eight in a row and were in desperate need to make a coaching change. Mike Yeo takes over as the interim after the Flyers were run out of Wells Fargo Center on Sunday in a 7-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Looking at it from another perspective, this could very well be a wake-up call for a franchise that has underperformed and has not capitalized since coming within one game shy of the Eastern Conference Final two seasons ago.
"Obviously we're embarrassed, there's no question about that," Flyers forward Cam Atkinson said. "Our fans are disappointed. They support us and to lay kind of a goose egg like that in front of them, it's embarrassing."
This could also be easy pickings for the Avalanche despite being leaky on defense over the past few games. Colorado is coming off a 6-5 overtime loss Saturday to the Ottawa Senators, two days after giving up eight goals to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"We don't want to play that type of way against anybody," Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog said, "no matter where they are in the standings, knowing that the second half of the year and down the stretch and in the playoffs it's going to be 2-1 and 1-0 and 2-0 games in the playoffs. We know that we just can't be giving up that many goals."
But there's not much from the Colorado standpoint that says they don't win this game. The Flyers are on the second game of a back to back, the coach has been fired, they've scored two goals or fewer in six games during their losing streak. It's all bad.
And especially after Carter Hart gave up five goals on 15 shots, to likely expect Martin Jones to somehow stop Colorado's buzzsaw of an offense seems laughable. The Avalanche have won five straight when their opponent gives up five goals or more in their previous game.
Prediction
Even though there's lack of travel for the Flyers, there's just too much going on right now to suspect anything will change. Colorado is 43-15 in its last 58 as a favorite, while the Flyers have lost nine of 10 in their SEGABABA games. Don't overthink it. Colorado cruises and the over cashes.
Betting trends
The Flyers are 4-1 in their last five against Central Division teams.
The over is 14-5 in Avalanche games so far this season.
The home team is 14-6 in the last 20 meetings.
Projected lines
Avalanche:
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Valeri Nichushkin -- Nazem Kadri -- Andre Burakovsky
Nicolas Aube-Kubel -- Alex Newhook -- Logan O'Connor
Jayson Megna -- Tyson Jost -- Darren Helm
Devon Toews -- Cale Makar
Bowen Byram -- Samuel Girard
Jack Johnson -- Erik Johnson
Darcy Kuemper
Flyers:
Claude Giroux -- Sean Couturier -- Cam Atkinson
Morgan Frost -- Kevin Hayes -- Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk -- Scott Laughton -- Zack MacEwen
Oskar Lindblom -- Connor Bunnaman -- Patrick Brown
Ivan Provorov -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Travis Sanheim -- Justin Braun
Keith Yandle -- Nick Seeler
Martin Jones
Key injuries
Avalanche: J.T. Compher (upper body), Ryan Murray (lower body)
Flyers: Ryan Ellis (lower body), Derick Brassard (hip), Nate Thompson (shoulder), Joel Farabee (shoulder)
Statistical leaders
Avalanche:
Points: Nazem Kadri – 30
Goals: Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar – 10
Assists: Nazem Kadri – 21
TOI: Devon Toews – 24:36
Goalie: Darcy Kuemper – 9-5-0, 2.84 GAA, .903 SV%
Flyers:
Points: Claude Giroux – 19
Goals: Cam Atkinson – 8
Assists: Claude Giroux – 12
TOI: Ivan Provorov – 24:22
Goalie: Carter Hart – 5-7-3, 2.95 GAA, .911 SV%
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert hockey picks today. And if you enjoyed this Colorado Avalanche - Philadelphia Flyers prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NHL projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
