The Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes are ready to face off at PNC Arena in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This Eastern Conference matchup gets going at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 14, and it can be watched live on NBC Sports Network.
Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes Odds
Boston (-115) is favored over Carolina (-105) and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -105 for the over and -115 for the under.
Boston is 59-38 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 5.3 units this season. Through 97 regular season matches, 52 of its games have gone under the total, while 41 have gone over and just four have pushed. As a road team this season, the Bruins are 24-23 SU.
Following a regular season where they found the net on 27.0 percent of all power-play opportunities (the third-strongest), the Bruins have been able to score on 33.3 percent of their power plays in the postseason. Their penalty kill has gone from 80.6 percent in the regular season to 84.1 percent in the playoffs.
Boston’s offensive attack attempted 33.0 shots per game in the regular season, leading to 3.2 goals per contest (ranked 11th overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the team’s managing an average of 34.5 shots on goal ( 3.4 goals per game).
With a .919 save percentage and 26.1 saves per game, Tuukka Rask (37-24-6) has been the best option in goal for Boston this season. If head coach Bruce Cassidy decides to rest him, however, Boston could go with Jaroslav Halak (22-18-4 record, .922 save percentage, 2.34 goals against average).
Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak will both look to continue their strong seasons for the visiting Bruins. Marchand has 115 points on 41 goals and 74 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 36 different games. Pastrnak has 44 goals and 49 assists to his credit, and has logged at least one point in 51 games.
Over on the other bench, Carolina is 54-41 straight up (SU) and has earned 1.2 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 95 regular season outings, 50 of its games have gone under the total, while 43 have gone over and just two have pushed. It’s 29-17 SU at home this year.
Carolina has converted on 16.8 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.8 percent of all penalties.
The Hurricanes have been penalized 3.5 times per game this season, 3.2 per game over their past five outings total, and 3.8 per game over their last five at home. The team has had to kill penalties just 6.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Petr Mrazek (24.7 saves per game) has been the top choice in goal for Carolina. Mrazek has 29 wins, 22 losses, and four overtime losses to his name and has recorded a 2.46 goals against average and a poor .910 save percentage this season.
The home team will be led on offense by Sebastian Aho (35 goals, 59 assists).
Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes Betting Predictions
Free Pick: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- For both of these teams, the total has gone over in four of their last five matchups.
- Two clubs that have clobbered opposing goalies with shots, Boston has taken the league’s ninth-most shots on goal (33.0) and Carolina has attempted the most (33.9).
- Carolina is putting up 3.0 goals per game in its last three games (the team is a perfect 3-0 SU over that streak).
- Six of Boston’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 6-0 in those games.
- Including the regular season, the Hurricanes have recorded the seventh-most hits per game in the NHL (26.6), but that number has risen to 35.4 over their past five games as the home team.
