Two clubs facing each other for the first time this season, the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings take the ice at Little Caesars Arena. This Original Six matchup gets started at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, November 8, and it will be broadcasted live on New England Sports Network.
Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings Odds
Boston (-245) is being tabbed as the favorite over Detroit (+205), and the Over/Under (O/U) is placed at an even 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -120 over, +100 under.
Boston is 11-4 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 6.7 units this season. Nine of its outings have gone over the total, while five have gone under and one has pushed. As a road team in 2019-20, the Bruins are 4-3 SU.
Boston enters the match up with the first-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s converted on 31.4 percent of its extra-man chances this season. On the other hand, it has the fourth-best penalty kill in the league, and the team’s successfully killed off 87.0 percent of all penalties.
Boston, as a collective unit, has been penalized 3.9 times per game in the 2019-20 season, a number that’s pretty close to the 3.7 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 9.0 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 9.8 minutes per outing this year.
With a .936 save percentage and 27.7 saves per game, Tuukka Rask (7-2-1) has been the top option in goal for Boston this season. If head coach Bruce Cassidy decides to rest him, however, the team may go with Jaroslav Halak (4-2-1), who has a .917 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average this year.
David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand will both lead the way for the visiting Bruins. Pastrnak (30 points) has tallied 15 goals and 15 assists, and has recorded two or more points nine times. Marchand has 10 goals and 18 assists to his credit (and has registered at least one point in 13 games).
Detroit is 4-13 straight up (SU) and has lost 6.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 17 regular season contests, eight of its games have gone over the total, while six have gone under and three have pushed. Thus far, the team is 2-6 SU as the home team.
Detroit has converted on just 12.7 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places it in the bottom 5 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 32nd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 66.7 percent of all penalties.
The Red Wings have been penalized 3.5 times per game this season, and 4.2 per game over their last five home outings. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays just 7.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Jimmy Howard has stopped 27.5 shots per game as the primary selection in the crease for Detroit. Howard has two wins and eight losses and has registered a fairly-weak .887 save percentage and 3.99 goals against average this season.
Anthony Mantha (nine goals, six assists) will lead the attack for the Red Wings.
Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings Betting Picks
Prediction: SU Winner – Red Wings, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- The total has gone over in four of Boston’s last five outings.
- The Red Wings are 1-4 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 4-9 when they’re in the box for fewer than 10 penalty minutes, total.
- Detroit has created 2.8 takeaways per game over its last five home games, a drop-off from its season average of 4.5 takeaways per game (ranked 31st in the league).
