NHL 2011 Free Pick: Flyers vs Senators Game Day Prediction

With the NFL and MLB both idle tonight, we turn to the National Hockey League for our first Puck Free Pick of the 2011-12 NHL season.

The Philadelphia Flyers have bolted out of the gates, while the Ottawa Senators have been downright dreary through their first five games. It’s going to be a very long hockey season in the Canadian Capital.

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FLYERS (3-0-1) vs. SENATORS (1-4-0) Game Day Preview

Puck drop for this NHL sports betting action is scheduled for 7:35 PM ET on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, from Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

This early season pro hockey match-up has all the makings of a blowout as the soaring Flyers meet the struggling Senators. Both teams are coming off a Saturday night loss as Philadelphia fell 3-2 in overtime to the Los Angeles Kings, while Ottawa dropped a 3-2 decision to the Washington Capitals.

Philadelphia continuing on their path to the penalty box is the only way we see this game being close. The Flyers have given up 25 power play opportunities, due to trips to the sin bin, over their first four games.

An area where the Flyers have a decided advantage in this contest is goals against. Philadelphia sits 7th in GAA allowing 2.0 goals per game while the Senators sit last in the league with an average of 4.6 goals against per game. The Sens close contest on Saturday, against the high powered Caps, was more of Washington playing down to Ottawa than vice versa.

Pro Hockey Betting Lines: Flyers @ Senators Free Pick

We turn to the NHL 3 Way lines at the BetOnline Sportsbook for the betting odds on our Flyers vs. Senators Free Pick. The full game Money Line had the Flyers listed as -162 favorites, so we are getting good value here. Remember that NHL 3 Way wagering counts for regulation time only.

With Ilya Bryzgalov set to face Craig Anderson in tonight’s goaltending match-up, we get the better netminder by backing Bryzgalov and Philadelphia. This seems like an early season hockey gift, which makes us a little leary, but we will soar with the visiting Flyers in this one.

>>> Take PHI over OTT at -105 with the BetOnline NHL 3 Way <<<