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The Boston Bruins will play the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday at Ball Arena. This could be a Stanley Cup preview as we share our NHL odds series and make a Bruins-Avalanche prediction and pick.
The Bruins lost 4-3 to the Florida Panthers at home on Monday at the TD Garden. Unfortunately, taking too many penalties hurt them this one, as they could never establish a proper offense.
The Avalanche lost 6-2 on Monday to a shocked crowd at home against the New York Islanders. Somehow, they are 0-3 as they come into this game despite being overwhelming favorites in two of their first three games/
Here are the Bruins-Avalanche NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Bruins-Avalanche NHL Odds
Boston Bruins: +1.5 (-245)
Moneyline: +100
Colorado Avalanche: -1.5 (+198)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 6.5 (-106)
Under: 6.5 (-114)
How To Watch Bruins vs Avalanche
Time: 9:30 PM ET/6:30 PM PT
TV: TNT
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Bruins Could Cover the Spread/Win
- David Pastrnak has 12 goals and six assists with a plus-minus of +1 over 16 games against the Avalanche.
- Jeremy Swayman is 2-0-1 with a 1.95 goals-against average and a save percentage of .938 against the Avalanche.
- The Bruins are averaging 3.25 goals per game.
Coach Jim Montgomery admitted shortcomings in the loss to the Panthers. Unfortunately, they lost too many battles, and the top line could not get going. However, Elias Lindholm remains one of the best players on the team, as he has scored two goals and three assists in four games while also leveling 13 hits and blocking eight shots. David Pastrnak continues to amaze as he has tallied three goals and one assist, including one on the powerplay. Meanwhile, Charlie McAvoy has two goals and one assist while also leveling eight hits. Brad Marchand has tallied two assists this season.
Defense and goaltending are the strong points of this team. So far, it's been inconsistent. Swayman is 2-1 with a 2.98 goals-against average and a save percentage of .893 over three games. Ultimately, it's been a mixed bag for him as he has had one great game sandwiched between two mediocre efforts.
The Bruins will cover the spread if they can avoid taking too many penalties and losing the battles to give their offense the best chance. Then, the defense must play better than they did against the Panthers and Swayman must play well.
Why the Avalanche Could Cover the Spread/Win
- The Avalanche have held Elias Lindholm to seven goals and eight assists with a plus-minus of -7 in 25 games.
- Nathan MacKinnon has six goals and eight assists over 19 games against the Bruins.
- The Avalanche are averaging 3.33 goals per game.
The offense has had its issues. Yet, it's not a complete problem, as they have some of the best players in the world. MacKinnon has one goal and four assists. Likewise, Cale Makar has distributed five assists. Mikko Rantanen has been excellent, with three goals and one assist. However, there has not been much else from anyone else, and the Avalanche needs more scoring from its secondary lines.
Goaltending is a fatal flaw for the Avalanche, and it has not gotten any better. Unfortunately, Alexandar Georgiev is having the worst start to his season as he is 0-2 with a 6.58 goals-against average and a save percentage of .790 while also being pulled twice. Backup Justus Annunen has not been much better, going 0-1 with a 4.69 goals-against average and a save percentage of .765. Both of these goalies must perform better to give the Avalanche a better shit. Moreover, star players like MacKinnon, Makar, and Rantanen also must do their parts as they have combined to go -11 in plus-minus.
The Avalanche will cover the spread if their top line can get going, and the secondary lines avoid slip-ups and find ways to get the puck into the net. Then, the defense must play better and Georgiev must make plays to avoid losing his starting job.
Final Bruins-Avalanche Prediction & Pick
The Bruins are just 1-3 against the spread this season, while the Avalanche are 0-3. Additionally, the Bruins are 0-1 against the spread on the road, while the Avs are 0-2 at home. The Bruins are 4-1 over the past five games against the Avs. Moreover, they are 3-2 in Denver's last five games. Both games went over 6.5 goals last season.
The Bruins are not playing their best hockey yet, going 2-2 over the four games. However, the Avalanche are even worse. It has been a rough start for the Avalanche, who many believed would at least contend for a playoff spot. Yet, their defense and goaltending have been abysmal. The Bruins have the firepower and the defense to come into Colorado and take advantage of their issues. Consequently, it will be enough to cover the spread.
Final Bruins-Avalanche Prediction & Pick: Boston Bruins +1.5 (-245)
