Quite possibly the two strongest clubs in the National Hockey League, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins face off at TD Garden in a divisional showdown. The opening face-off is at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 29, and it’ll be televised live on Sportsnet.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins Odds
Tampa Bay is 51-25 straight up (SU) and has earned 9.1 units for moneyline bettors this season. 47 of its outings have gone over the total, while 28 have gone under and just one has pushed. This 2017-18 Lightning team is 24-14 SU on the road.
Tampa Bay enters the match up with the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s scored on 24.8 percent of its extra-man opportunities this year. Additionally, its penalty kill is ranked 27th in the league, and it’s successfully killed off only 76.0 percent of its penalties.
The Bolts, as a collective unit, have been penalized 4.0 times per game overall in the 2017-18 season, 4.0 per game over its past five total, and 4.4 per game over its last five on the road. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays just 8.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .921 save percentage and 29.5 saves per game, Andrei Vasilevskiy (42-19-3) has been the primary option in goal for Tampa Bay this year. If it chooses to rest him, however, head coach Jon Cooper might go with Louis Domingue (6-11), who has a .891 save percentage and 3.46 goals against average this year.
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos will both lead the way for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov (96 points) has tallied 38 goals and 58 assists, and has recorded two or more points 30 times. Stamkos has 27 goals and 59 assists to his nameand has logged at least one point in 52 games.
On the other side of the ice, Boston is 47-28 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 7.8 units this season. Through 75 regular season outings, 40 of its games have gone under the total, while 34 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team is 25-12 SU at home this season.
The Bruins have converted on 22.8 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s good enough for sixth-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked fifth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.8 percent of all opponent power plays.
Boston players have been penalized 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 2.4 per game over their past five games. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays just 7.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Tuukka Rask has stopped 25.4 shots per game as the top option in goal for the Bruins. Rask has 32 wins, 17 losses, and five overtime losses to his credit and has registered a 2.32 goals against average and a .918 save percentage this season.
Brad Marchand (33 goals, 49 assists) will pace the offensive counter for Beantown.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
Tampa Bay is 6-2 in games decided by a shootout this season while Boston is 3-3 in shootouts.
The total has gone under in three of Boston’s last five games.
Tampa Bay has managed 32.0 shot attempts per game over its last five road games while Boston has been attempting 38.4 shots per game over its last five home outings.
The Bruins this season have handed the eighth-most hits per game (23.7).
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