NHL Playoffs - Game 5
PITTSBURGH -1½ +112 over Philadelphia

BEST LINES:  Pinnacle -1½ +112 BET365 -1½ +105 SportsInteraction -1½ +100 5DIMES -1½ +105

Posted at 12:00 PM EST.

7:05 PM EST. OT included. The Flyers are battered and bruised and if the Penguins have any mercy, they'll take Philly behind the barn and put it out of its misery tonight. It's incredible that the Flyers have spent most of the last two decades looking for their franchise goaltender. Philly's trouble in net is a story that stands the test of time. While one season has no bearing on the next and games that were played years ago do not matter now, there's a reason that clichés become just that. Over time there are some aspects of the game you can just come to count on. Crosby will score when it matters most and the Flyers will flame out and ride whoever was in the crease on a rail right out of town. Enter Brian Elliot, who after coming off a disappointing year in Calgary was pegged to be the man to back the Flyers. Instead of a steady hand, Philly got exactly what it should have expected in the streaky and unreliable Elliot. The Flyers were up and down all season. For example, they went on a 10-game losing streak in December, but followed that up with six straight wins. After Elliot went down with an injury, the Flyers picked Petr Mrazek off the scrap heap from the Red Wings. He turned out to be just as shaky as Elliot, who got his job back at the end of the season. Even if the Flyers play their best game, Elliot cannot be trusted to make any of the big stops. He played the game of his life in Game 2 and we're willing to bet he can't do it again.

Matt Murray has silenced those (including us) that doubted his ability to back to Penguins to another long playoff run after a terrible season where he battled injuries and put up lackluster numbers. Through four games of these playoffs, Murray has posted two shutouts with 1.27 goals against average and a .948 save percentage. That Murray suffered some "discomfort" at practice yesterday has been the main talking point for the Penguins, who will already be without forward Patric Hornqvist, but he finished practice and all appears to be fine. Murray became the fourth goaltender in NHL history to post 25 playoff wins and did it in the shortest amount of time (36 games). The Penguins have outscored Philadelphia 17-1 in their three wins and could have won Game 2 as well if a few early bounces had gone their way. The last thing these Penguins want to do is pack their bags and head back to Philly. Pittsburgh can win this one by a country mile, but even if it's a one-goal game in the third period, the Flyers will pull their goalie early and the empty netter is on the table. Either way, we're not going to miss a chance to grab the Pens on the puck line at plus money against a stiff like Elliot.Please note: We have leans posted daily on Twitter and you can follow us there for leans, possible late plays or any other info we might have to pass along. 

Open an account today at Pinnacle Sports and take advantage of their -104 style pricing on sides and totals, which is 60% better than other sportsbooks.



Our Pick

PITTSBURGH -1½ +112 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.24)

Follow us on Twitter or Facebook and receive instant notification when all picks have been posted.

Chicago +167 over Ottawa