Team records:<\/strong> Tonight, 7:00 p.m. ET Sooner or later, Ilya Kovalchuk has to bust out. It\u2019s not like the effort isn\u2019t there in his first few games as a Devil; he has 17 shots over his last two games, including nine in Monday\u2019s 3-2 loss to Philadelphia. It\u2019s only a matter of time before he gets one and, when he does, the floodgates may open.<\/p>\n Tonight may well be the night everything comes together for Kovie, as the Flyers will start backup Michael Leighton in place of injured Ray Emery. He\u2019s allowed just five goals over his last three starts but, as his 2.84 goals against average and .903 save percentage on the season remind us, he\u2019s still Michael Leighton, career backup. The Flyers won\u2019t go quietly after beating New Jersey on Monday. I especially expect Jeff Carter to bring his A-game. Early reports out of Anaheim suggest Ryan Getzlaf\u2019s ankle won\u2019t keep him out of the Olympics, but sprains are unpredictable things and easily re-aggravated. Carter could be first in line to replace him on Team Canada\u2019s roster and I\u2019m sure he knows this. He\u2019ll likely work extra hard to put a puck or two past Marty Brodeur.<\/p>\n Expect more offense than usual from these two teams tonight. In the end, it\u2019s New Jersey at home against a backup goalie. So we have to pick the Devils.<\/p>\n NHL Betting Trends:<\/strong><\/p>\n New Jersey is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
\nPhiladelphia: 29-25-3
\nNew Jersey: 36-20-2<\/p>\n
\nSportsbook odds: Flyers +135, Devils -155 <\/p>\n![\"Sports](\"http:\/\/www.bodogaffiliate.com\/resources\/ca-banners\/sportsbook\/square\/250x250\/250x250h-sportsbook.gif\")
As Kovalchuk and linemates Dainius Zubrus and Patrick Elias get more time to gel, they\u2019ll heat up.<\/p>\n
\nNew Jersey is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games at home
\nThe total has gone UNDER in 7 of New Jersey’s last 9 games when playing Philadelphia
\nThe total has gone UNDER in 9 of New Jersey’s last 13 games
\nThe total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia’s last 5 games
\nPhiladelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Jersey
\nThe total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia’s last 5 games on the road
\nThe total has gone UNDER in 7 of Philadelphia’s last 9 games when playing New Jersey<\/p>\n