Just like the anticipation of a World Cup bet, the sports betting community was wondering how the Montreal Canadiens would react when the Eastern Conference finals shifted back to Montreal. As with most NHL betting in the playoffs, the home team should be given the advantage.
The Canadiens were embarrassed in the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals played in Philadelphia. They could not score a goal in two games on Philly goalie Michael Leighton, while the Flyers put nine goals past Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak. After those first two games, the Flyers Canadiens betting looked to be a slam dunk in favor of the Flyers. But a sports better should never under-estimate the power of the hometown crowd.
Jaroslav Halak was impressive in game three. He made stops in that game that he could never have made in the first two games. The Canadiens were buzzing around the Flyers' goal crease, and they were screening Michael Leighton all night long.
For his part, Michael Leighton looked like a second-string goalie in game three. He let in weak goals, he was out of position much of the time and it looked like his communication with his defensemen was almost non-existent.
Game four will be the time for the Flyers to right the ship, and pound the Canadiens back into submission. Physical play is how the Flyers got the Canadiens to surrender in the first two games, and that physical play was lacking in game three. When they drop the puck for game four, look for the Flyers to begin to exert themselves again in a big way.
Most notably absent in game three was the Flyer defense led by Chris Pronger. The defense was unable to clear the front of the net, and they allowed Canadiens to sit in the slot all night long waiting for passes. Look for Pronger and his crew to re-capture the middle of the rink and shut down the opportunistic Canadiens.
The Canadiens are starting to get point production from some unlikely sources. In game three journeyman center Dominic Moore had a goal and an assist, while defensive phenom PK Subban had three assists. Montreal sniper Michael Cammalleri had a goal while up and coming center Tom Pyatt had a goal and an assist. It means that the Canadiens are working the front of the net as a team, and it paid off in game three.
But the Flyers had an answer for the persistent Canadiens in the first two games of this series, and they will find that answer again for game four. The Canadiens came out strong in both of the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals, but Michael Leighton was able to shut the door and let the Flyers take over each game. When Leighton faltered in game three, then so did the Flyers. Leighton will have his form back for game four, and the Flyers will be able to impose their physical will on the smaller Canadiens as they did in the first two games of this series.
Pick: Philadelphia Flyers 4-2
