Hosting a Stanley Cup Final game for the first time in 49 years, the St. Louis Blues came out flat and couldn’t recover in an ugly 7-2 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 3. Down 2-1 in the series, the Blues are facing a must-win Game 4 tonight at Enterprise Center. Sportsbooks opened the Bruins as +100 underdogs with a total of 5.5.
Standout Stats
- Boston scored four power-play goals on as many shots in Game 3. The Bruins have now scored with the man advantage in each of their last seven games to match a franchise postseason record.
- The Bruins’ power play is a staggering 6-for-14 in the Stanley Cup Final, while the Blues have converted just one of their 10 opportunities with the man advantage.
- Blues head coach Craig Berube pulled starting goaltender Jordan Binnington in Game 3 after the rookie allowed five goals on 19 shots. It’s the first time Binnington was pulled in his 52 starts this season.
- On the other side of the coin, Tuukka Rask continues to shine in between the pipes for the B’s. In light of Saturday’s triumph, Rask has now turned aside 164 of 168 shots to win his past five road starts.
- Is another OVER in store in this series? Games 1 and 3 went OVER the total, while St. Louis’ 3-2 win in Game 2 could’ve easily went above the total as well after the two teams combined for four goals in the first 10 minutes of the game.
- When it comes to the puckline, the Blues and Bruins are trending in opposite directions in this one. The Bruins are a perfect 11-0 on the puckline in their previous 11 road contests, while the Blues are 1-11 ATS in their past 12 on the puckline at home.
My Best Bet for Bruins-Blues
OVER 5.5 goals
With the way this series has gone so far, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see Game 4 soar above the 5.5-goal total. Oddsmakers tabbed Game 3 with a total of 5 after Games 1 and 2 were 5.5, and if it wasn’t for the aforementioned bad beat for OVER bettors in Game 2, all three games would’ve gone OVER.
Binnington looked shaky on Saturday and the Bruins’ offense hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, so I’m on the OVER 5.5 goals in Game 4.
