Stephen Nover's NHL Free Thursday Play
(NHL) Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, 04/15/2021 7:00 PM, Score: 2 - 1
Money Line: -162.00 Pittsburgh (Home)
Result: Loss
I'm old enough to remember Bernie Parent and the Broad Street Bullies. So I can't say the Flyers never had great goaltending. 
They just haven't had it for the past 45 years. 

The Flyers are 2-6 in their last eight games, following a 5-3 loss to last-place Buffalo this past Sunday and a 6-1 blowout defeat to Washington this past Tuesday. The Flyers hoisted up the white flag at the trade deadline signaling they are in rebuild mode. 

I'm not expecting the Flyers to do much here in action for the fourth time in six days and meeting a hot Pittsburgh team that has won eight of its last 10, including the past three all by multiple goals. The host Penguins will be rested, too, having last played this past Sunday. 

The Penguins were active at the trade deadline acquiring two-time Stanley Cup champion veteran Jeff Carter to center and shore up their battered second line, which is without Evgeni Malkin and Freddy Gaudreau. Center probably is the versatile Carter's best position. He also adds to the Penguins' special teams units. 

Only Ottawa surrenders more goals per game than the Flyers, who give up nearly 3.6 goals a game. The Penguins are the No. 4 scoring team in the NHL. They have tallied 4 or more goals in nine of their past 10 games. 

Sometimes there can be value backing the favorite, even heavy chalk like this. This is such a case.