The Boston Bruins (24-13-2) will take on a tough challenge on the road Wednesday night, as they’ll play the best team in the NHL today in the form of the Colorado Avalanche (29-8-3). Both teams have been solid this season, especially since the calendar flipped to the year 2022. But only one can come away with a victory. Boston and Colorado were originally scheduled to meet on Dec. 23, but COVID-19 got in the way, resulting in a postponement. With that said, check out our NHL odds series, which includes our Bruins-Avalanche prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Bruins-Avalanche odds:
NHL odds: Bruins-Avalanche Odds
Bruins: +1.5 (-168)
Avalanche: -1.5(+136)
Over: 6.5(-104)
Under: 6.5(-118)
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Why The Bruins Could Cover The Spread
The Bruins are looking to recover from a 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at the end of a seven-game homestand. During that stretch, though, Boston went 5-2, which included wins against the likes of the Nashville Predators and the Washington Capitals. Three Bruins each scored a goal in the loss to Anaheim. Among them was David Pastrnak, who now has four goals in the last five games. Pastrnak and the Bruins have the offense to fight fire with fire against Colorado. Although Boston is just 13th so far this season with 3.1 goals per game, advanced metrics suggest that the Bruins are way better than that.
In fact, the Bruins are No. 1 in the NHL in expected goal for percentage (56.83%) and fourth in the league with a 54.15 CF%. Furthermore, the Bruins’ power-play attack that has been solid this season has become even more lethal since the calendar flipped to 2022; the Bruins are third this January overall with a 29.33 PP% and has gone 8/17 on the man advantage in their last six contests. That sounds like trouble for Colorado’s special teams. Colorado is just 27th overall with only a 75 PK% this season. On the other end of the ice, Tuuka Rask will take a rest after giving up five goals to the Ducks. It will be Linus Ullmark between the pipes for Boston Wednesday night. The Bruins are 5-0 in their last five games after giving up at least five goals in a previous contest. They are also 10-6 against the puck line in road games.
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Why The Avalanche Could Cover The Spread
The Colorado Avalanche, who now have 61 points — the highest in the Western Conference — have gone 7-0 in their last seven games and 9-0-1 in their past 10 after dominating the Chicago Blackhawks at home in a 2-0 victory Monday. Mikko Rantanen and Nazem Kadri both found the back of the net against Chicago, as has always been the case this season for the Avs, who are showering opponents with 4.1 goals per contest – the best mark in the NHL, so far this campaign.
That Colorado offense is mostly powered by an elite depth on the forward positions. Rantanen, Kadri, Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Andre Burakovksy. Rantanen paces the Avs in goals with 22 this season. Kadri and defenseman Cale Makar each has 16 goals, while Landeskog and Burakovsky have 15 and 14 goals, respectively.
That's a scary bunch for Boston's defense, especially for Ullmark, who has never played against Colorado so far in his seven seasons in the NHL. Meanwhile, Colorado’s Darcy Kuemper is slated to start after the Avs let Francouz get the gig in the Blackhawks game. Kuemper is 6-0-1 with a 2.30 GAA and .241 SV% in nine appearances in front of the net this January. The Avs skate into this game against Boston with a 44-9 record in their last 53 games as the home team. In addition to that, the Avs own a 12-9 puck line record at home, this season.
Final Bruins-Avalanche Prediction & Pick
Boston is a great possession team and a red-hot power play at the moment. If there’s a team that can cool down the Avs, it’s Boston, especially with Ullmark back in action Wednesday night. And that sizzling power-play attack of Boston could really wreak havoc tonight, considering how good it's been of late and how shaky the Colorado Avalanche's special teams are when shorthanded this season. For the Bruins-Avalanche prediction, we are going for the Bruins here to cover the puck line at least. Don't be afraid to take Boston Bruins straight up, as well.
Final Bruins-Avalanche Prediction & Pick: Bruins +1.5 (-168)
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