After enduring a three-game losing skid, the Boston Bruins have rattled off wins in three straight and can match their longest winning streak of the season when they pay a visit to the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. Sportsbooks opened the Bruins as +125 road underdogs with a total of 6.
- The total has gone OVER in eight of Boston’s last 9 games when playing Pittsburgh.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 games when playing at home against Boston.
- Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home.
Bruins vs Penguins Game Center
Backing visiting clubs has been a poor idea in this matchup
Home-ice advantage has been massive in this series, as the home team has won each of the past eight meetings between the B’s and Pens. Boston is on a five-game point streak (4-0-1) vs Pittsburgh, including a 2-1 overtime triumph at TD Garden on November 23. David Krejci has done an excellent job filling in for the injured Patrice Bergeron in the center spot with the No. 1 unit, collecting three assists in Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Arizona to extend his point streak to four contests.
The Penguins looked to be a non-factor in the Eastern Conference a few weeks ago, but after enduring an ugly stretch that saw them lose nine of 10, the Pens have turned things around of late. Pittsburgh was on a 6-2-2 SU run before falling 6-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. The Pens will want to zero in on Bruins winger David Pastrnak, who has six goals and 14 points in 10 career games vs the Penguins.
OVERs the story when the Bruins and Pens collide
When the Bruins and Penguins get together, high-scoring affairs tend to follow. In the past nine meetings between the Eastern Conference clubs, the OVER is 8-1. Four of the previous five matchups between the squads in Beantown have eclipsed the closing total.
Betting on the Bruins to cover the puckline away from home has been a fruitless endeavor in recent tilts, as Boston has covered the puckline on only one occasion in its last six away from home.
Halak, DeSmith set to start in net tonight
Jaroslav Halak and Casey DeSmith are listed as the probable starting goalies tonight. Halak (9-4-2, 2.30 goals-against average, .930 save percentage) surrendered three goals on 32 shots in the Bruins' win over the Maple Leafs on Saturday. DeSmith (9-5-4, 2.43 GAA, .921 SV%) gave up four goals on 27 shots in the Penguins' recent setback to the Blackhawks.
