History will be made on Tuesday night as the Columbus Blue Jackets will host a conference semifinal game for the first time in franchise history. They are slight home favorites on the NHL betting lines in Game 3 against the Boston Bruins. The series is tied 1-1.
How to Bet Bruins vs Blue Jackets 2019 Stanley Cup Odds & Game 3 Info
🎥 @mjohansson90 on playing in the city of Boston: “This is an unbelievable sports city. It’s fun to be here. It’s unbelievable to go play at the [TD] Garden when you have fans like that, it’s a special feeling.” pic.twitter.com/ChdpJBLCyu
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) 29 de abril de 2019
- When: Tuesday, 7 PM ET
- Where: Nationwide Arena
- TV: NBC Sports Network
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- Radio: The Fan
- 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Columbus Blue Jackets -115 (Total 5.5)
Why Bet on Boston?
After winning Game 1 over Columbus 3-2 in overtime, the Bruins were 3-2 double-OT losers in Game 2 on Saturday. Patrice Bergeron had a rather difficult time of it in Game 2. Bergeron had a number of premium scoring chances but was stymied by Blue Jackets’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky time and time again. He also took a costly penalty during the second overtime that directly led to Matt Duchene’s winning goal.
“You work hard to put yourself in a good position throughout the game, tight game. Obviously, it’s on me, try to avoid the penalty and that’s it. It’s a tough loss but we got to move forward.”
Matthew Grzelcyk scored his first career NHL playoff goal in the loss. Grzelcyk opened the scoring at the 7:50 mark of the first period on a Boston power play. He has collected five points in nine postseason matches. David Pastrnak also found the back of the net. Pastrnak gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead early in the second period just 58 seconds after Artemi Panarin tied the game. He finished Game 2 with a plus-1 rating, five shots on goal and two hits in 22:42 of ice time. This was Pastrnak’s first goal since Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old now has three goals and seven points in nine games this postseason.
Boston’s top power-play unit struggled in Game 2. The Bruins did score a goal with the man advantage in the contest, but it was the second unit that was responsible. Of the power play, and specifically, the first unit, Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said: “That’s the place to get going offensively, and we didn’t execute well enough. We got a goal off of it, but really, [it’s] not nearly to the level those guys have executed all year.”
Tuukka Rask allowed three goals on 41 shots. The Bruins had 1-0 and 2-1 leads, but they ended up allowing the Blue Jackets to come back every time. Two of the three goals Rask allowed came while the Blue Jackets were on the power play. This loss puts an end to Rask’s three-game winning streak. The 32-year-old has a 6-3 record with a 2.24 goals-against-average and a .927 save percentage this postseason.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.15
- Shots: 32.92
- PP/PK Percentage: 26.55
Defense
- Goals: 2.60
- Shots: 29.70
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.15
Why Bet on Columbus?
Matt Duchene scored a power-play goal at 3:42 of the second overtime as the Blue Jackets overcame deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to pull even in their series Saturday. Columbus got a power play in the second overtime period when Patrice Bergeron tripped Seth Jones deep in Blue Jackets territory. Duchene ended up finding the back of the net on the man-advantage. Columbus overcame multiple deficits to win a postseason game for the second time in franchise history.
Duchene, who was acquired by the Blue Jackets leading up to the 2019 NHL trade deadline, scored his first career overtime goal in the playoffs. He became the second player in franchise history to score the winner in a contest that required multiple overtimes, joining Matt Calvert in Game 2 of the 2014 First Round. Columbus has converted on seven of its 18 power-play opportunities in these (38.9%), including going 2-for-4 in Game 2. Their power-play percentage is the highest among all teams in the 2019 postseason.
Seth Jones collected two assists in Saturday’s win. Jones picked up both helpers on goals by Artemi Panarin. He was also credited with two shots, five hits and three blocks in a game-high 38:01 of ice time. Jones also made a great play to keep the puck in at the blue line prior to Duchene’s power-play winner. He has eight points in six games this postseason.
Jones has recorded multiple points in each of the Blue Jackets’ last three games. He is the first defenseman to record multiple points in three consecutive playoff games since San Jose’s Brent Burns had an equal streak in 2016. The longest such run by a blueliner in NHL history is five games, a mark set by Montreal’s Larry Robinson in 1978.
Panarin had two goals and the primary assist on Duchene’s winner. The 27-year-old has picked up at least one point in each of the six playoff games he’s played in this year. Panarin is up to four goals and nine points overall.
Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 29 of 31 shots. He now has a 5-1 record with a 2.02 goals-against-average and a .930 save percentage this postseason.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.20
- Shots: 31.38
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.15
Defense
- Goals: 2.78
- Shots: 29.58
- PP/PK Percentage: 14.95
Bruins vs Blue Jackets 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Trends
- Home team is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings
- Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Columbus
- Bruins are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Columbus
- Blue Jackets are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games
- The total has gone OVER in 9 of Columbus’ last 12 games against Boston
Expert Final Score Prediction for Bruins vs Blue Jackets
Boston Bruins 2 – Columbus Blue Jackets 3
