The red-hot Philadelphia Flyers claimed an impressive 3-2 victory over the defending-champion Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, lifting them past the Detroit Red Wings in the race for an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot and boosting their odds to win the Stanley Cup to 33/1 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Flyers have quickly emerged as the hottest team in the NHL, claiming victory in eight of their past 10 outings, and picking up points in 18 of the past 23 games.
Their current tear comes in marked contrast to their performance in the early going this season, when they posted just six victories over their first 20 games, a run that sent their Stanley Cup odds tumbling to 100/1.
Philadelphia faces another tough test this weekend when they battle Pittsburgh, but they have dominated their Metropolitan Division rival in recent years, taking an 8-1 record in their past nine meetings into Saturday afternoon’s matchup at Wells Fargo Center according to the OddsShark NHL Database.
With nine losses in their past 15 games, the Red Wings find themselves in the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and at real risk of missing the postseason for the first time in 25 years.
Detroit has also seen their NHL futures fade at the sportsbooks, tumbling to 40/1 to win the Stanley Cup after climbing as high as 18/1 just four weeks ago.
The Red Wings play six of their final 11 contests on the road and have six dates with teams currently ahead of them in the standings, including a crucial visit from the Flyers on April 6.
The Washington Capitals continue to lead the way atop the Stanley Cup odds as 4/1 betting favorites, while the Los Angeles Kings, winners in seven of their past 10 games, have vaulted to 6/1, passing the Blackhawks, who trail at 7/1, and the Anaheim Ducks at 15/2.
The Ducks have cooled off somewhat, losing four of five games after going on a torrid 20-3 run that briefly lifted them to the top of the Pacific Division standings, while Chicago is a dismal 4-10 in their past 14, dropping them to third place in the Central Division.
The Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues continue to battle for top spot in the Central Division, but both have struggled to post wins, and have each seen their odds fade, to 12/1 and 14/1, respectively.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and San Jose Sharks also sit at 14/1, followed by the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins at 16/1, the Florida Panthers at 18/1, and the Penguins at 20/1.