NHL Betting Preview: Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers Odds, Analysis

The Philadelphia Flyers (37-25-13) are looking to return to the postseason after missing out last year, and beating the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals (54-16-5) on Wednesday night, as home betting underdogs at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark, would certainly help their chances.

Philadelphia has alternated wins and losses in the team’s last seven games and hopes to earn its second consecutive victory for the first time since March 16 with just seven games remaining in the regular season, starting with Wednesday night's matchup.

The Flyers would also love to take advantage of a loss Tuesday by the Detroit Red Wings, who have made the playoffs the past 24 seasons and remain tied with them for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference despite playing two more games.

Philly visits Detroit in a key matchup on April 6 that will help decide which of the two will make it. Until then, the Flyers will try to beat the Capitals for the second time this year after edging them 4-3 as plus-196 road underdogs (bet $100 to win $196) on January 27.

Washington won the other two meetings this season by a combined score of 8-4 and does not have much to play for now that the Presidents’ Trophy—awarded to the team with the best record—has already been clinched.

The Caps could end up meeting Philly in the first round if the latter finishes as the second wild-card team, which would be the case if the postseason started today.

The Caps are just 5-4 in their last nine games and begin a three-game road trip at Philadelphia before visiting the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes. They then wrap up the regular season with three of four at home.

The over is 2-0-1 in the past three meetings between the teams after the under cashed in each of the previous four, according to the Odds Shark NHL Database. However, Washington has seen the under go 2-0-1 in its last three overall.

The under is also 2-1-1 in the past four for the Flyers, who saw their previous three all land on the No. 5 to result in pushes. In fact, only one of Philly’s last nine games has seen less than five goals scored dating back to March 12.