Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
With both sides all but out of the playoff race, Monday night’s clash between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Nashville Predators is shaping up to be a no-pressure, free-flowing encounter. The Flyers, however, may have found a late-season spark in the wake of a major coaching change.
Philadelphia Flyers
It’s hard to chalk up their recent surge to mere coincidence. Since John Tortorella was relieved of his duties, the Flyers have played two barnburners — beating the Montreal Canadiens (6:4) and the Buffalo Sabres (7:4). Interim head coach Brad Shaw appears to have handed the reins to his players, encouraging a more open, expressive brand of hockey. No one’s thrived more than Matvei Michkov (24+32), the Russian prodigy who’s racked up five points in those two outings and extended his scoring streak to five games.
Nashville Predators
The Predators wouldn’t mind a bit of that freedom themselves. Recent fixtures against playoff-hungry sides — the Vegas Golden Knights, the St Louis Blues, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs — have offered little room to breathe. A more relaxed setting against a defensively shaky opponent should allow their offence to come alive. With Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Ryan O’Reilly and a handful of hungry young forwards all eyeing the net, the Predators are well positioned to exploit the Flyers’ biggest weakness — their goaltending. This spring, the Flyers rank dead last in save percentage (84.28%).
Philadelphia Flyers vs Nashville Predators Prediction
In March, the Nashville Predators underperformed offensively, scoring 36 goals from 45.2 expected — the biggest such gap in the league. Facing a side that’s suddenly embraced run-and-gun hockey should help them close that deficit. With both teams happy to trade chances and little at stake, this has all the makings of a high-scoring affair.
