Premium NHL Pick : December 3 #2

Second premium pick of the day:

Vancouver Canucks @ Philadelphia Flyers:

The return of Daniel Briere should make the Flyers fans optimistic for tonight's game after two games lost in a row and also 4 losses out of the last 5.

Flyers have not been scoring enough goals to compete with their opponents lately. Still, third team in the league in shots per game, Flyers found it extremely difficult to score goals in recent games. They have scored only 9 goals in the last 5 games and only managed to beat the Islanders last week. Their powerplay struggled big time, as the team produced only 2 goals in 17 tries. That's unbelievable for a team that is third on the powerplay in the league at 24%. We will see what Briere can offer to fix this powerplay problem.

Penalty killing also has been a problem as the Flyers allowed at least one powerplay goals in the last three games.

They are 8-4-1 this season at the Wachoiva center.

Canucks won last night in New Jersey. It was an unexpected first period as Martin Brodeur + Luongo allowed 5 goals on only 16 shots. Two great goaltenders did not really play like themselves in the first and Canucks continued to build on that one goal lead and ran away with a 5-2 victory after scoring 2 more in the third.

Canucks have been playing very offensively in the last games and except the game in San Jose they have managed to score 4 or more goals in the last four games. However, they have not really been playing good on the road. Canucks have gone 5-8-0 on road compared to Flyers home record of 8-4-1.

The teams don't meet each other very often. They played only once last season with the Flyers winning it in Vancouver. It was the same story in 2007 as the Flyers destroyed the Canucks 8-2 in Vancouver. Of course everything is different now.

I have not really liked how Flyers have been playing in the last 10 days and the Canucks have disappointed only in the 1-0 loss to Chicago Blackhawks. Except that game they have been playing consistently good.  3 wins out of the last 4 games is a proof of that.

Not easy to say who is going to win it. If Canucks had not played yesterday, I could have favoured Canucks but the return of Briere and a well rested and hungry Flyers team at the Wachovia Center won't be an easy opponent.

Emery won't start for the Flyers tonight and Boucher will be between the posts. Luongo will keep playing for the Canucks.

PREMIUM NHL PICK: OVER 5,5 GOALS

Best odds: 1.91 @ Bodog.com

good luck!

Outcome: