The Boston Bruins contest the third in their five-game road swing as they invade the SAP Center to face off with the San Jose Sharks. Boston is on a roll right now, picking up five wins in a row and now seeks a season-long winning streak, while San Jose is looking for its second straight victory. This is the first meeting this season between these two and the Sharks are a -145 favorite with the Bruins coming back at +125 and the total Sportsbook at six goals.
- Boston is 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS in its last eight games.
- San Jose is 7-1 SU but 3-5 ATS in its last eight games.
- The total has gone OVER in eight of San Jose’s last 12 games.
Boston vs San Jose Game Center
Bruins really clamping down on defense
For the second time this season, Boston enters a game seeking its sixth consecutive win. Additionally, you have to go back to Jan. 19 for the last Bruins regulation loss, when they fell 3-2 to the New York Rangers, a span of 10 games that they have secured at least one point. Of this current winning streak, each of the five triumphs came against Western Conference foes.
The B’s have been middle of the road offensively this season, chipping in an average of 2.95 goals per game which is 16th in the league and that drops off to 2.36 goals per game on the road, ranking 28th. However, they do fire a lot of rubber at the opposing goal, averaging the sixth-most shots per game at 32.9. Additionally, they are averaging four goals per game during their winning streak.
Keeping pucks out of the net has been where Boston has really excelled as it allows just 2.51 goals against per game which are the second-fewest in the NHL and that remains consistent on the road. Tuukka Rask is expected to be between the pipes tonight and he is a perfect 5-0-0 this month with a .925 save percentage and a 1.98 goals against average.
Sharks continue to swarm their opponents
San Jose quickly got back in the win column after its six-game winning streak was snapped last Thursday at home to Washington. The Sharks returned to action on Saturday and skated to a 3-2 victory over Vancouver. They have had their difficulties with Eastern Conference foes recently losing three of their last four vs those opponents.
There hasn’t been much of an issue lighting the lamp for San Jose this year, as it scores the third-most goals per game in the league at 3.63, which dips ever so slightly to 3.61 at the SAP Center. Additionally, it directs a lot of shots towards opposing netminders as well, averaging the second-most shots for per game at 33.9. It has averaged 4.5 goals per game over its last eight contests.
The Sharks have done a great job limiting goals against as well, allowing just 2.46 goals against per road game which is the seventh-fewest in the league, but overall it allows 3.07 goals per game ranking 15th. Martin Jones is expected to be the starting goalie for the Sharks tonight and is having a solid month thus far, posting a 5-1-0 record with a season-best 2.23 goals against average and a .925 save percentage.
Which side of the total should you be on?
We have two teams that haven’t been allowing many goals recently but have been piling on the points offensively and Sportsbook has the total Sportsbook at six goals. Boston has gone OVER in four of its last six games with an average combined score of 6.67.
Meanwhile, San Jose has gone OVER in eight of its last 12 games with an average combined score of 7.5 with no game featuring fewer than five goals. Both starting netminders are playing extremely well recently and it’ll be interesting to see how they handle these high-scoring offenses. I think we might have an OVER on our hands as both teams will find the back of the net.
My take on Boston vs San Jose
I like Boston as the +125 underdog. The Bruins are really flying right now with five straight wins, all against Western Conference opponents, while the Sharks have dropped three of their last four games against the East. Although Martin Jones is playing well right now, he does have a sub-.900 save percentage on the year and I don’t think he will be able to stop the speedy B’s. Lastly, Boston has outright won each of the last three games it has been an underdog in.
