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The Boston Bruins will head to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Monday night. We're here to share our NHL odds series, make a Bruins-Avalanche prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Bruins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-3 on Saturday. Ultimately, it was a game where they dominated from start to finish before finally putting it away in the final period. Trent Frederic led the way with two goals. Also, David Pastrnak added a goal and an assist. Linus Ullmark finished the night with 23 saves to preserve the effort.
The Bruins did well in the faceoff circle, winning 52 percent of their draws. Additionally, they went 1 for 4 on the powerplay and killed all four chances for the Bolts. The Bruins also leveled 28 hits and blocked 15 shots.
The Avalanche lost 8-4 to the Florida Panthers. Sadly, they fell behind early, as goalie Ivan Prosvetov allowed four goals before the Avs pulled him. Alexandar Georgiev did not fare any better, allowing four goals of his own. However, the offense did relatively well. Valeri Nichushkin had one goal and one assist. Also, Cale Makar had a goal and an assist. Mikko Rantanen added two helpers. Lastly, Nathan MacKinnon had one assist.
The Bruins swept the Avalanche last season, including a 4-0 win at Ball Arena. Moreover, they have won three in a row in this series. But the Avalanche have gone 6-3-1 overall against the Bruins over 10 games. Furthermore, they have gone 4-1 over five games at Ball Arena, with last year's game being the only blemish.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Bruins-Avalanche Odds
Boston Bruins: +1.5 (-210)
Moneyline: +112
Colorado Avalanche: -1.5 (+172)
Moneyline: -134
Over: 6.5 (-105)
Under: 6.5 (-120)
How to Watch Bruins vs. Avalanche
Time: ET/PT
TV: ESPN+, ALT and New England Sports Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Bruins Will Cover The Spread
The Bruins are continuing to do the little things right. Currently, they are 11th in goals and have averaged 5.2 goals over their past five games. The Bruins have raised their shooting percentage to sixth. Also, they are now fifth on the powerplay. Pastrnak continues to shine, with 24 goals and 31 assists. Moreover, he is averaging 1.39 goals per game. Brad Marchand has also been a solid player, with 15 goals and 20 assists. Likewise, Charlie Coyle has tallied 13 goals and 15 assists. Charlie McAvoy has been consistent with three goals and 14 assists. Also, he has blocked 47 shots.
The Bruins are amazing at defending the net. Currently, they rank fourth in goals allowed. The Bruins are also third on the penalty kill. Significantly, Jeremy Swayman will play behind this defense today and is 11-3-4 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a save percentage of .922. Swayman has played the Avalanche just one time in his career. Ultimately, he is 1-0 with a 1.01 goals-against average and a save percentage of .966 in his one showdown with the Avs.
The Bruins will cover the spread if they can move the puck with ease and get opportunities early. Then, they need to defend their crease well and not allow MacKinnon to get big shots.
Why The Avalanche Will Cover The Spread
The Avalanche are also scoring goals at a slightly lesser rate. Ultimately, they have averaged 3.8 goals per game over their last five contests. Look for the Avalanche to try and find ways to maneuver around a tough Boston defense.
MacKinnon is the man to watch. So far, he has notched 22 goals and 43 assists this season, with a 100-point season well within reach. But MacKinnon has been inconsistent at best against the Bruins. Throughout his career, he has notched five goals and seven assists in 17 showdowns with the Bruins. Mikko Rantanen will be someone to watch. So far, he has tallied 20 goals and 28 assists this season. Makar will also be another option for this offense. Ultimately, he has scored eight goals and 37 assists.
Defense and goaltending have become a major issue in Colorado. After their eight-goal debacle, they now rank 22nd in goals against. But the penalty kill still remains stout, as the Avalanche are 10th. Georgiev will have his hands full against a high-energy scoring team. Moreover, he will enter this game with a record of 21-9-2 with a 2.98 goals-against average and a save percentage of .894. Georgiev has also struggled against the Bruins throughout his career, going 2-4-1 over nine games with a 3.35 goals-against average and a save percentage of .901.
The Avalanche will cover the spread if they can get off to an early lead. Then, the defense needs to clamp down and block shots.
Final Bruins-Avalanche Prediction & Pick
The Bruins do not give a lot of goals. Conversely, the Avs give up too many goals. But the Avs also love to score. It seems as if the famous Boston defense falls apart when they play a high-octane offense. Expect that to happen again.
Final Bruins-Avalanche Prediction & Pick: Over: 6.5 (-105)
