Coming into the matchup with two wins apiece in the series Columbus Blue Jackets and the Boston Bruins face off at TD Garden in Game 1 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Semifinals. NBC Sports Network will broadcast this Eastern Conference matchup, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 25.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Boston Bruins Odds
With a moneyline of -155, Boston enters the game as the noticeable favorite. The line for Columbus now stands at +135 and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. If bettors want to put some action on this game’s total, they’ll be looking at odds of -115 for the over and -105 on the under.
The Bruins are 53-36 straight-up (SU) and have earned 1.6 units for moneyline bettors this season. That winning percentage, ranked third in the league in this young season, is right in line with the 50-32 record the team posted during last year’s regular season campaign. Out of the team’s 89 regular season matches, 47 of them have gone under the total, while 38 have gone over and just four have pushed. The team is 31-14 SU at home this year.
Boston’s offensive skaters attempted 32.9 shots per game in the regular season, leading to 3.2 goals per outing (ranked 11th overall in the NHL). In the postseason, the club’s climbed to an average of 35.4 shots on goal 3.3 goals per game.
After producing the third-strongest power-play unit in the regular season (converting 27.0 percent of all opportunities), the Bruins have been able to score on 43.8 percent of their postseason power play chances. Their penalty kill has gone from 80.0 percent in the regular season to 81.3 percent in the playoffs.
Averaging 25.3 saves per game with a .915 save percentage, Tuukka Rask (31 wins, 22 losses, and five OT losses) has been the primary option in goal for the Bruins this season. If head coach Bruce Cassidy chooses to rest him, however, the Bruins may turn to Jaroslav Halak (22-18-18 record, .922 save percentage, 2.34 goals against average).
The Bruins will continue to lean on the offensive production via Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Marchand (109 points) has tallied 40 goals and 69 assists and has recorded multiple points in 34 different games this year. Pastrnak has 40 goals and 47 assists to his name and has recorded a point in 48 contests.
Columbus has earned moneyline bettors 8.7 units this year and is currently 51-35 straight up (SU). A total of 47 of its games have gone under the total, while 33 have gone over and just six have pushed. As the road team, Columbus is 27-16 SU.
Columbus has converted on just 16.9 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that’s ranked 28th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked third overall and it’s successfully killed off 85.0 percent of all penalties.
Columbus’ players have been penalized only 2.8 times per game in total this season, and 1.8 per game over their last five on the road. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 4.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Sergei Bobrovsky (.914 save percentage and 2.54 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for Columbus. Bobrovsky is averaging 25.9 saves per game and owns a 41-25-1 record.
Artemi Panarin (30 goals, 62 assists) has been one of the primary playmakers on offense for the visiting Blue Jackets.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Boston Bruins Betting Predictions
Free Prediction: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- For both of these teams, the over has hit in three of their past five games.
- Over Columbus’ last ten games, eight of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 7-1 in those games).
- Columbus skaters notched 21.8 hits per game last season, while the Bruins accounted for 24.3 hits per matchup.
