Bruins in Position to End Strange Trend vs Penguins

Home fans have been miserable for the last 3 1/2 years whenever the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins faced off, as they will Monday night at TD Garden. The road team has won 10 consecutive meetings between the Eastern Conference powers, with the Penguins coming in having won each of the last two encounters.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Oddsmakers aren’t putting much stock in the teams’ bizarre road trend, making the Bruins a sizable favorite. The total for this one is set at 6.5 and likely won’t budge.

Pittsburgh News & Notes

The Penguins continue to surprise fans and bettors alike by boasting a truly impressive defense and goaltending tandem. Pittsburgh has surrendered just three goals in its last three games to move into a tie for third in goals-against average (2.36). The Pens have also done well to limit opposing scoring chances, ranking seventh in shots against per game (29.7).

But just as the Penguins celebrate the return of superstar forward Evgeni Malkin, who missed 11 games with a lower-body injury, they learned that they’ll be without winger Patric Hornqvist indefinitely. Hornqvist, who is expected to be out for the “longer term” with a lower-body ailment, has five goals and five assists for the Penguins so far this season.

Boston News & Notes

No team in the NHL is running as hot as the Bruins, who have reeled off five consecutive victories and have points in nine straight (7-0-2). And things are humming at both ends of the ice, with Boston averaging 4.8 goals per game during its winning streak while having allowed an NHL-low 29 goals through its first 13 games overall.

The Bruins also find themselves dealing with a key injury shortly after having a player return to the lineup. David Krejci is back after missing five games last month with an upper-body injury, but Boston will likely be without fellow forward David Backes after he left Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators following a violent collision with the Senators’ Scott Sabourin.

Betting Pick: Bruins -154

No team is playing better than the Bruins, who are deep enough to absorb the absence of Backes and are catching the Penguins in the midst of an 0-for-19 slump with the man advantage. We recommend the home team.