The Boston Bruins are battling the Tampa Bay Lightning for the most points in the NHL and with how well the Bolts are playing, Boston needs every point it can get. The B’s will be NHL betting favorites on Saturday when they make their only visit of the season to Vancouver. Let’s see how the NHL odds will be for the Bruins vs Canucks.
Bruins vs Canucks 2020 NHL Hockey Odds & TV Info
- When: Saturday, 10 PM ET
- Where: Rogers Arena
- TV: NHL Center Ice, RSN
- Opening NHL Lines: TBA
Why Bet on Boston?
Boston looks for the sweep of the Canucks, winning 4-0 at home on Feb. 4. Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist, and Tuukka Rask stopped 25 shots. Brad Marchand, David Krejci and Karson Kuhlman also scored. Charlie McAvoy had two assists. Boston controlled the tempo from the start, outshooting Vancouver 13-6 in the first period.
The Bruins as of this writing have the most points in the NHL but are barely ahead of the scorching-hot Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division. We think the Lightning end up winning that and the Presidents’ Trophy.
David Pastrnak is having a career season, ranking second in the NHL with 84 points and tied for first with 43 goals (along with Toronto’s Auston Matthews). The 23-year-old forward has nine points in his last six games.
Defenseman Charlie McAvoy has three goals and 21 assists this season. While he had 28 points in 54 games last year, he has been hard to stop since the start of the New Year. In the Bruins’ last six games, McAvoy has six points, including a goal in each of his last two games. McAvoy has landed a career-high 118 hits and blocked 115 shots. He is averaging a career-best ice time of 23:09.
Tuukka Rask is in the Vezina Trophy conversation. He has gone 8-1-0 in his last nine games, bringing the Finnish netminder to 23-5-6 on the year with a 2.04 goals-against-average and a .932 save percentage. Rask had been splitting time with Jaroslav Halak but has largely taken over as the No. 1 of late.
“He’s really on right now. I’m sure like every other player he feels it at certain times of the year,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said of Rask. “He’s seeing pucks and they’re sticking to him and he’s under control. And other times, like a lot of goalies, players it’s a little more of a challenge. But right now he’s in one of those zones, we’ve seen a lot of it lately the last couple years, so good for him.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.3
- Shots: 32.28
- PP/PK Percentage: 25
- Goals: 2.41
- Shots: 30.2
- PP/PK Percentage: 15.79
Why Bet on Vancouver?
In the 4-0 loss to Boston in the first meeting, Jacob Markstrom made 38 saves for Vancouver, keeping his team close until the Bruins got two goals late in the third period. The Canucks also hurt themselves with seven penalties, although only one resulted in a goal 18:10 into the third period.
Markstrom stopped Chris Wagner on a short-handed breakaway midway through the second during Vancouver’s first power-play opportunity. Markstrom came up with another big save against Charlie Coyle on a breakaway later in the second.
The Canucks have surrendered the seventh-most amount of shots in the league this season yet rank 14th best when it comes to goals allowed (3.02 GAA/ GP). This has largely been due to Markstrom having his best season. In Markstrom’s 22 victories, the Canucks only outshot their opponent in seven of those games. Markstrom’s 11.87 goals saved above average is 10th best overall and ranks him sixth best among all NHL goaltenders who have played at least 30 games.
J.T. Miller is having a career year in his first season with Vancouver. He’s up to 24 goals and 35 assists. However, young winger Brock Boeser (ribs) may be out for the remainder of the regular season. Vancouver GM Jim Benning said the injury is worse than originally believed.
The team announced on Monday night that Boeser suffered a rib cartilage fracture and will be re-evaluated in three weeks. However, it’s viewed as an eight-week injury. Boeser will visit with a specialist later this week and Benning is hopeful that he could be back for the playoffs if the Canucks get there.
The Canucks also have decided to shut down Micheal Ferland for the remainder of the season due to concussion-like symptoms. Ferland had appeared in just 14 games, netting a goal and five points.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.23
- Shots: 30.98
- PP/PK Percentage: 22.9
- Goals: 3.07
- Shots: 33.05
- PP/PK Percentage: 19.59
Bruins vs Canucks Expert Prediction
Bruins 3, Canucks 2
