Bruins vs Lightning Odds & Picks: Sides Level On Points Heading Into Friday

The Boston Bruins (44-21-5) and Tampa Bay Lightning (43-20-7) are battling for third place in the Atlantic Division and are tied with 93 points, five behind the second-place Leafs. The Bruins vs Lightning prediction will break down a crucial matchup between two teams vying for a better playoff seed. 

Bruins vs Lightning Odds & Analysis

Sportsbook Odds

It’s rare to see the Lightning open at plus money as the home team but that’s just an indication of how close the sides are in the Bruins vs Lightning prediction. Of course, there’s great value on both sides of the ice given the matchup. Tampa Bay has moved to -145 and the Bruins are available at +140. 

Get the best Bruins vs Lightning odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night. 

Bruins Must Cope Without Pastrnak

The Bruins’ surge up the Atlantic Division standings has come with a 7-3-0 mark in their last 10 games. Their loss to Detroit on Tuesday snapped a three-game winning streak and a string of seven wins in their previous eight games.

Boston carries a strong 22-10-3 road record into Friday’s contest and has won two of three meetings this season vs the Lightning. Tampa Bay nipped Boston 3-2 in overtime on December 4 in Beantown but the B’s have since won two straight – 5-2 in Tampa on January 8 and 3-2 on their home ice on March 24.

Unfortunately, they’ll be without star forward David Pastrnak, who’ll miss his second straight game with a core injury, an absence that must be considered in a Bruins vs Lightning pick. Pastrnak leads the Bruins with 38 goals and has haunted the Lightning recently, scoring five of Boston’s eight goals in its two wins over Tampa Bay this year.

Vasilevskiy Needs To Get Back To His Best

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions would have hoped for a better run to close out the season, coming off a 4-3 loss to Washington on Wednesday that was their third in a row after a streak of four consecutive wins.

Tampa Bay is now 4-5-1 in its last 10 games and has given up 15 goals in its three-game skid, including five to the Montreal Canadiens and six to the Maple Leafs.

There’s no doubt Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the start in such a crucial matchup at home. Vasilevskiy has the most wins in the league with 35 but allowed an uncharacteristic six goals vs the Leafs the last time Tampa Bay played at Amalie Arena. The Bruins vs Lightning prediction highlights Vasilevskiy as a player who needs to put forth an improved performance. 

Bruins vs Lightning Pick & Insights

Bruins: Keys To Victory 

For the Bruins to get a win on the road, they’re going to need to stick to their defensive strengths. Tampa’s offense has been misfiring of late and Boston’s top-five defense could further frustrate the Lightning. The Bruins vs Lightning prediction highlights Erik Haula as a player who needs to step up in Pastrnak’s absence. 

Lightning: Keys To Victory 

Tampa is 21-7-5 at home, with its seven home losses among the fewest in the league. The Bolts will look to get back on track Friday night and tie up the season series with a set of forward lines perfectly balanced to face a Boston team that is struggling with a lack of star power at the moment. 

Odds Shark’s Computer Bruins vs Lightning Prediction: Bruins +130

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