Game 19: Boston Bruins Vs. Detroit Red Wings Lines, Betting Preview

As they did to begin the month of November, the Boston Bruins (11-7-0, 22 pts) will close the month off by hosting the Detroit Red Wings (10-9-3, 23 pts) at TD Garden Tuesday.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron had a natural hat trick and scored four goals in that 5-1 win over the Red Wings on November 4 and he and his teammates will look to bookend the month with another win over their Original 6 rivals Tuesday. The problem for the Bruins tonight though will be that they will be without Brad Marchand, who had the primary assists for all four of Bergeron’s goals in that first tilt with the Wings. On Monday, Marchand was suspended three games for a slew foot on Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in a 3-2 win Sunday night.

The Boston Bruins will also be without head coach Bruce Cassidy, who was put into COVID protocol on Tuesday morning. Assistant coach Joe Sacco will take over the reins behind the bench until Cassidy is cleared to return.

With Marchand and Anton Blidh (upper-body) out and the team’s AHL club, the Providence Bruins, shut down due to a growing COVID outbreak, the Boston Bruins cannot make any callups until at least next week. That means that winger Jake DeBrusk and forward Erik Haula, who were healthy scratches Sunday, will draw back into the lineup.

Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark is expected to start his second straight game after a 36-save performance in the win Sunday. Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to get the nod for the Winged Wheels.

Betting, Prediction – Despite trailing the Red Wings in the standings and playing mediocre hockey at best to this point, the Bruins come into this game as favorites on the money line (-220) and on the puck line where you can get them at +110 to win by two goals. The over/under is 5.5. with the over at even money and the under at -120. With the Bruins

Obviously, the Bruins playing four games less than the Wings has played a role in the standings but if you had the Red Wings coming into Boston a point ahead of the B’s on November 30, then you may want to make some bets if you’re a betting man. You and everyone else should also realize that this is a beleaguered Bruins squad coming into tonight, and it appears to be a perfect spot for the road dog to pull of the upset. Give me the Red Wing in regulation to win at +285.

Prediction: Red Wings 4 Bruins 2

Boston Bruins Notes

– After being benched for Sunday’s game and re-submitting a trade request, DeBrusk will be back in the lineup with a chance to increase his trade value. Bergeron is confident that’s exactly what DeBrusk will do by giving his all and being a good teammate despite wanting out.

“Things don’t change. We’re going to help Jake and expect him to be accountable like the rest of the guys,” Bergeron told the media Tuesday morning.

– Speaking of Bergeron, he has been on fire lately with two goals and three assists in his last three games. He now has eight goals and ten assists in 18 games.

Detroit Red Wings Notes

-Defenseman Filip Hronek has five points in six career games against the Bruins. He also has a goal and ten assists in 20 games this season.

– Fellow rearguard Moritz Seider is in the Calder Trophy conversation with two goals and 22 assists in 22 games.

Boston Bruins Lines

Forwards

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – Taylor Hall

Nick Foligno – Charlie Coyle – Craig Smith

Tomas Nosek – Trent Frederic– Karson Kuhlman

Jake DeBrusk – Erik Haula – Curtis Lazar

Defense

Derek Forbort – Charlie McAvoy

Matt Grzelcyk – Brandon Carlo

Mike Reilly – Jakub Zboril

Goalies:

Linus Ullmark

Jeremy Swayman

Detroit Red Wings Lines

Forwards

Tyler Bertuzzi-Dylan Larkin-Lucas Raymond

Robby Fabri-Pius Suter-Givani Smith

Vladislav Nemestnikov-Michael Rasmussen-Adam Erne

Sam Gagner-Carter Rowney-Filip Zadina

Defense

Nick Leddy-Moritz Seider

Marc Staal-Filip Hronek

Daniel Renouf-Jordan Oesterle

Goalies:

Alex Nedeljkovic

Thomas Greiss