Islanders vs Flyers Game 7 Odds & Pick – Sep. 5

• The Flyers extended their best-of-seven series versus the Islanders with a 5-4 OT win on Thursday
• Ivan Provorov scored the game-winning goal; Carter Hart made 49 saves
• Game 7 goes Saturday, Sep. 5th, at 7:30 pm ET; see the odds and best bets, below

In the most unlikely fashion, the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Islanders in on Thursday night to force a winner-take-all Game 7 this weekend (Saturday, Sep. 5th, 7:30 pm ET).

The Flyers started strong, opening up a 2-0 lead. But the Islanders stormed back, going up 3-2 and 4-3. Philly was able to tie it both times. Then Ivan Provorov won it in double overtime.

Now the two will square off for the right to play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals. While the series has been defined by the Islanders’ ability to frustrate the Flyers’ offense, anything can happen in the final 60 minutes.

Islanders vs Flyers: Game 7 Odds

Odds as of Sept 4th.

When it comes to the Islanders vs Flyers odds, the books still aren’t backing Philly after two straight overtime wins. My picks in the Game 6 preview (Islanders and the under) didn’t pay off, although the Islanders did only allow 17 shots in regulation.

Philly enters Game 7 as an underdog which, despite the mixed results of the past two games, is surprising considering they’ve come back to tie it up.

JVR the Hero the Flyers Need

It’s kind of stunning that the Flyers have made it this far when you consider the top-end production they’ve been missing.

But in Game 6, Kevin Hayes had a goal and an assist, and Travis Konecny, Jakub Voracek, and Claude Giroux all registered a point.

Someone who had a more noticeable impact though, was James van Riemsdyk.

James van Riemsdyk: Series vs Game 6

Van Riemsdyk drew into the series in Game 2 and didn’t do a ton in his first few games. But then most of the Flyers’ forwards have struggled against the Islanders.

In Game 6, JVR scored the goal to put the Flyers up 2-0.

BOOM goes the clapper from James van Riemsdyk (@JVReemer21). #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: https://t.co/DzPPk6TDjb @NHLonNBCSports
🇨🇦: https://t.co/Back8n7zKF @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/rA7Vq6Sclo

— NHL (@NHL) September 3, 2020

He was a factor after that too. Van Riemsdyk was among Philly’s leaders in scoring chances and high-danger chances with three and four, respectively. His possession numbers weren’t great, but without Sean Couturier, the Flyers need weapons, and van Riemsdyk can be a factor.

Carter Hart Must Stymie Islanders Once More

Even if you ignore all of the other numbers, the fact that the Flyers won a game where the Islanders out-shot them 53-31 is amazing.

Credit goes to Carter Hart.

Carter Hart is good. #AnytimeAnywhere | #PHIvsNYI pic.twitter.com/SlsBHhe0u9

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 3, 2020

I haven’t been shy about criticizing Hart, noting that he hadn’t played up to his first round standards. But Game 6 was something else.

Hart faced 53 shots, and he saved his best for last. He was a perfect 25-for-25 from the third period onward.

Yes, the Flyers have found their scoring touch, but Carter Hart is the reason they’re still alive.

Islanders vs Flyers: Game 6 Possession

What was working for the Islanders earlier in the series isn’t anymore. They’re still generating high-danger chances and pressuring Philly defenders, but the Flyers have won in spite of that.

Carter Hart made 49 saves to set his career high for any game, regular season or playoffs.

— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 4, 2020

In a game where Semyon Varlamov was hardly (by comparison) challenged, the Isles couldn’t get a save when they needed one.

Who Moves on Between Flyers and Islanders?

Some say that playoff games are self-contained, that you can’t carry momentum through the series.

The Flyers will beg to differ.

The Islanders have had two chances to close them out, and lost both in OT. With Philly feeling it, I’m backing them to complete the comeback.

The Pick: Flyers (+106); OVER (-129)