Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Game 2 Preview, Picks & Odds for Monday, April 20, 2026

By Kody Malstrom | Apr 19, 2026, 6:55pm

The Philadelphia Flyers dominance on defense was on full display in game one, suffocating the Pittsburgh Penguins for the full duration of the contests, forcing them into taking low quality Shots on Goal. By holding them at arms length, the Flyers were able to pull away on the scoreboard, securing the win on the road to open up the series.

Heading into game two, expect the Flyers to build on their momentum by taking advantage of Stuart Skinner who has struggled to give them the protection they need to limit the amount of variance in their contest. Especially with the Penguins back line falling down the board in Expected Goals Against, creating more space for the Flyers to exploit.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Analysis

Since the start of the regular season, the Flyers back line have been lethal, blanketing opposing front lines on a nightly basis while ranking near the top of the board in Expected Goals Against in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. Their suffocating coverage helped Dan Vlader string together his performances, averaging just 2.42 Goals Against per game and a .906 Save Percentage.

In game one against Pittsburgh, their defense was able to successfully bottle up their front line, making them prone to prolonged scoring lulls which gave their own anemic offense just enough of an advantage to help pull away on the scoreboard and secure the win. Their final result in Expected Goals echoes their win, finishing the contest up 2.68-2.01.

With the Penguins back line continuing to stumble down the board in Expected Goals Against in All Situations, the Flyers will continue to be able to give them the production they need to be a well rounded unit by exploiting their gaps in front of the crease. WIth the quality of their Shots on Goal expected to improve, the Flyers will be able to find the back of the net at a higher rate, increasing their chances of winning.

Especially with Stuart Skinner incapable of walling off their assault, averaging nearly three Goals Against per game and a .888 Save Percentage throughout the regular season. With Skinner forcing the Penguins to play in highly volatile contests, it’s tough for them to match the Flyers output, digging themselves too deep into a hole for them to climb out.

Factor in the Flyers back line consistently smothering their shot attempts at every level of the ice and the Penguins are vulnerable to falling into a 0-2 hole before having to travel to Philadelphia. With clear advantages on both sides of the ice, back the Flyers to win game two as a slight underdog.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Best Bet: Flyers ML (+125)
Score Prediction: Flyers 3, Penguins 1

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Game Odds

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Game Information

Date: Monday, April 20, 2026
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Network: ESPN
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Venue: PPG Paints Arena – 7.2 goals per game; 24-16-1 O/U
Series Score: Flyers 1-0

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Resources

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Key Players

Philadelphia Flyers

Owen Tippett – Last Game: (0 Goals, 0 Assists, 3 Shots on Goal)
Porter Martone – Last Game: (1 Goal, 0 Assists, 1 Shots on Goal)
Dan Vlader – Last Game: (2.00 Goals Against, 15 Saves)

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby – Last Game: (0 Goals, 0 Assists, 3 Shots on Goal)
Bryan Rust – Last Game: (1 Goal, 0 Assists, 3 Shots on Goal)
Stuart Skinner – Last Game: (3.00 Goals Against, 23 Saves)

Photo Credit: AP/Gene J. Puskar

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.