Bettors looking for offensive fireworks will find no shortage of it in tonight’s matchup between the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche, as the teams feature three of the top four point-getters in the NHL, highlighted by David Pastrnak and Mikko Rantanen. Sportsbooks opened the Bruins as -115 road favorites with a total of 6.
- The total has gone UNDER in eight of the Bruins’ last 11 games vs the Avalanche (avg. combined score: 4.27).
- The total has gone UNDER in nine of the Bruins’ last 11 games (avg. combined score: 4.73).
- The Bruins are 6-0 SU and ATS in their last six games vs teams with losing records.
Bruins vs Avalanche Game Center
Halak has been fantastic for the Bruins
The NHL’s First Star of the Week, Pastrnak scored five times in four games to boost his season total to 16 goals in 17 contests. Rantanen, who sits tied with Connor McDavid for the overall points lead in the league, scored a goal and set up another while Nathan MacKinnon collected a pair of assists in Colorado’s 4-1 win over Edmonton on Sunday, halting a five-game slide (0-4-1 SU) in the process.
The Avalanche have won the past three meetings between the squads while outscoring the Bruins 10-3 in a two-game series sweep last season. Goaltender Tuukka Rask rejoined the team after going on a brief leave of absence that caused him to miss two games, but Jaroslav Halak is slated to make his fourth straight start for the B’s. Center Patrice Bergeron has two goals and four assists during a four-game point streak entering tonight.
Trends pointing to an UNDER in this one
According to past betting trends, bettors might want to expect a low-scoring affair in this series. The UNDER is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings between the Bruins and Avalanche, with an average combined score of 4.3 goals. The UNDER is also 6-2 in Colorado’s past eight home games, and nine of Boston’s previous 11 contests have gone below the closing total.
The Bruins have been excelling when playing against lesser competition lately, as Boston is a perfect 6-0 SU and on the puckline in its past six tilts vs teams with losing records. The Bruins have had Colorado’s number in the Mile High City in recent years, going 5-2 SU in their past seven trips to Pepsi Center.
Varlamov set to counter Halak in between the pipes
Along with Halak, Semyon Varlamov is listed as the probable starting goaltender for the Avs tonight. Halak (6-1-2, 1.77 goals-against average, .945 save percentage) has been a revelation in his first year with the Bruins, winning two straight starts over Vegas and Toronto while allowing only two goals in that span. Varlamov (5-5-2, 2.26 GAA, .929 SV%) has cooled off after a hot start but rebounded in the form of a 26-save effort in Colorado’s triumph over Edmonton.
My pick: take the Bruins on the moneyline
Based off the Sportsbook odds, oddsmakers are clearly expecting this game to be a toss-up, and I expect it to be a close one as well. But with the way Halak is playing right now, the Bruins are a tough team to bet against, and I expect Boston to keep up its winning ways in Colorado – a place where they’ve proven they can win. If I was leaning anywhere on the total, it’d be to the OVER due to the low 5.5 number, but I’m more comfortable in backing the Bruins on the moneyline.
