Stanley Cup Finals Betting: Chicago Blackhawks vs Philadelphia Flyers

Chicago Blackhawks vs Philadelphia Flyers Live NHL Betting: Chicago will play fourth game in a best of Seven Series in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals at the Wachovia Center on Friday, June 4, 2010 and match starts at 8:00pm EDT. Chicago Blackhawks leads the series with 2-1.

Chicago won the first two matches in the Series and leads with 2-0, but in the third match Philadelphia Flyers won and drop-down the lead to 1-2. Flyers was able to counteract the Chicago Blackhawks attack and is now looking to even things up on Friday night.

Sports Betting reminds everyone that it’s not just about the moneyline. NHL odds betting aficionados also will take a look at the series price, despite the fact that we are three games in. Just as before the series began, the Chicago Blackhawks odds remain quite high to win their first Stanley Cup since 1961.

NHL betting on the Blackhawks with Sports Betting for the series price is -380, fairly steep for a 2-1 series. The Flyers appear to be getting stronger each game. Add in the fact that the first two Stanley Cup Finals betting games were only one-goal affairs, and it’s hard not to consider betting on the Flyers. Currently, the Flyers are +300 to win their first Stanley Cup since the mid-70’s.

Led by Claude Giroux and his all-important overtime game-winner in Game 3, the Flyers now appear poised to tie up the series. If that should hold true then it’s anyone’s series at that point, making their NHL playoff betting series price all that more appealing.

Philadelphia has been the best home team in these Stanley Cup playoffs, so expect them to come out with fire once again in Game 4. Now, can they win a game on the road in Chicago? Sports Betting’s oddsmakers and bettors appear to think so. At -380 to win the Stanley Cup, the Hawks are being viewed as virtually a lock.

We beg to differ. The Flyers were counted out in the regular season before they qualified on the last day of the season. They were heavy underdogs to the Devils in the first round and then steamrolled them. They were down 3-0 to the Bruins and won in seven. They rolled by the Canadiens. And finally, they were trailing the Blackhawks before Wednesday night. Why go against them? Consider +300 for the series price and bet the Flyers.

2010 Stanley Cup: Why Defense Is The Difference In The Stanley Cup Finals

It may sound like an odd observation to say that defense will be the difference in the Stanley Cup Finals, especially when there were 11 goals scored in Game 1. But at a closer look, defense in fact played a huge role in Game 1 – at least the top defensemen on both teams.

For the Flyers, Chris Pronger has been an MVP-caliber stud on the back end and he’s shutdown a number of No. 1 lines en route to the Stanley Cup Finals. See: Montreal Canadiens top line.

For the Blackhawks, their top pairing of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook have also being doing work, limiting their opponents best players. See: San Jose Sharks top line.

In Game 1, even in a 6-5 barn-burner, the top defensemen on both sides had an impact and they will throughout this NHL series.

The Blackhawks top line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien finished with a combined zero points and a minus-3 rating largely in part to the presence of Pronger. Meanwhile, the Flyers top line of Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne were also held off the score sheet thanks to the Blackhawks top pairing.

So what does all this mean for Stanley Cup series betting purposes? It means that the team with the best depth will win. On paper, the Blackhawks have more depth both on offense and on defense – as evidenced in Game 1 – and that will very likely be the difference.

Game 2 goes tonight and the Blackhawks are a -190 favorite. The physical Flyers played a penalty-less game in their first outing but don’t be surprised if they land in the penalty box a little bit more tonight and end up feeling the sting of the Blackhawks power play as they fall into an 0-2 series hole.