Before we dive into the icy depths of this impending matchup, let's set the scene. The Edmonton Oilers at home in the Alberta plains versus the Philadelphia Flyers, fresh off the Liberty Bell. This is shaping up to be a game you wouldn't want to miss unless you enjoy missing out on beautiful hockey.
Peering into the goaltender stats, Ivan Fedotov of the Flyers has some noticeable moments but failed to push past an 85% save rate last month. His buddy Samuel Ersson, on the other hand, has aced saves at a rate of 92.3% last month, making him a key player to watch for in this matchup. Meanwhile in net for the Oilers, Stuart Skinner has stayed solid but unimpressive with his 80.5% save rate in the past month, while Calvin Pickard has struggled with a save rate of 76.9%.
For the Flyers, Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee have been, shall we say, 'indifferent' this past month. Konecny netted 33 goals and added 36 assists last season though, and Farabee contributed with 22 goals and 28 assists. If these lads can recalibrate their sticks to last year's settings, the Flyers could generate some power.
While the Oilers, on the offensive end, throw out names like Connor McDavid and Mattias Ekholm. Repeat after me, 'Connor McDavid'. Yet, he's hopeless with zero goals this month and this season. Ekholm might as well have been in Bermuda with his two assists this month and this season. That's disappointing for a team with such prominence.
Unfortunately for the Oilers, past meetings with Flyers haven't gone too well. It seems Philly likes the sound of Canadian tears. Checking their regular season performance, the Flyers are doing okay while the Oilers are undoubtedly having a slammer of a time trying to get on board. Recent results also point to a subtle positive trend for the Flyers and a rather dismal run for the Oilers.
Factoring in the data with the seriousness of a pickle in a peanut butter sandwich, it's time for prediction magic.
Albert’s Prediction: Philadelphia Flyers by 2