Game 46: Boston Bruins @ Ottawa Senators Lines, Betting, Preview

The Boston Bruins (26-15-3, 55 pts) are looking to rebound from an embarrassing 6-0 loss to the Hurricanes on home ice when they travel to Ottawa to take on the Senators (12:30 pm, NESN, ESPN+) on Saturday afternoon at Scotiabank Place.

It should be a welcome respite with the Senators as an opponent as the Boston Bruins have dropped two in a row to the Penguins and Hurricanes since coming out of the NHL All-Star break.

The Bruins will look to snap the losing streak at just two games, but they will need to do it without arguably their two best players in Patrice Bergeron (upper body injury) and Brad Marchand (suspended). The Bruins captain is out with a head injury he suffered in the loss to the Penguins on Tuesday and Marchand is suspended six games for high-sticking and roughing Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry at the end of that game.

The Boston Bruins will also need to answer the challenge of Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, who was highly critical of the “lack of pushback” from the other veteran leaders in the B’s dressing room while missing key players in Bergeron and Marchand. They’ll need to be much better in that regard against the Senators.

“There just was not enough pushback,” said Cassidy after the loss. “So how are we gonna weather it? We’re certainly gonna need a lot more pushback from guys that are expected to bring it, and some other veteran guys that might not but need to step in their absence. We were lacking both tonight in huge quantities.”

Jeremy Swayman will get the start for the Boston Bruins after serving as the losing goaltender on Tuesday night against the Penguins when he allowed three goals on 24 shots in a 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh.

Betting Prediction:

Per our friends at BetUS, the UNDER is 5-0 in the Senators’ last five after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Also, goalie Matt Murray has been brilliant in his last two starts, allowing just one goal on 75 shots. The Senators have been playing structured hockey as well in front of him but have opportunistic forwards that can burn ya.

That’s why our BetUs plays for the game here are the Senators MONEY LINE (+130), the DRAW (+290), and the UNDER 5.5 (-110)

Prediction: Senators 3 Bruins 2 (OT)

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Boston Bruins Notes

-With Bergeron and Marchand out, the Taylor Hall-Erik Haula-David Pastrnak line will become the top line and the only line not affected by Bergeron and Marchand being out.

-Matt Grzelcyk (upper body) is questionable to play after getting knocked out of Thursday night’s game following a collision with Andrei Svechnikov, but returning to be a full practice participant on Friday ahead of today’s matinee. Jack Ahcan has been called up from Providence and would be an option for the Bruins if for some reason Grzelcyk can’t answer the bell.

-Patrice Bergeron was on the exercise bike on Friday, but won’t travel with the team and is out for Saturday’s matinee against Ottawa. The Boston Bruins are hoping he’ll be able to make the trip with the team next week when they head to New York to face the Rangers and Islanders on the road.

-Forward Trent Frederic returns to the lineup tonight for the first time since he suffered an upper-body injury on Jan. 10, and actually played an active game with shot attempts (six) and hits (six) that would be a welcome addition if he can play that way consistently.

Senators Notes

-The Senators are coming off a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins and are looking to make a surge in the second half of the season with a young, talented group that has a lot of ground to make up near the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Both teams should be highly motivated coming off disappointing shutout losses in each of their previous games.

“I think you’re going to see a real physical and emotional game,” said Ottawa head coach DJ Smith. “When that puck drops today we’re both going to be playing hard.”

-Matt Murray gets the start for the Senators and is 5-1-2 over his last eight starts and has been excellent for the Senators with a 1.72 GAA and a .949 save percentage.

-Ottawa’s leading scorer Drake Batherson (ankle injury) is out for the Senators after he was tripped into the boards by Aaron Dell prior to NHL All-Star weekend.

Boston Bruins Lines:

Forwards

Taylor Hall – Erik Haula – David Pastrnak

Trent Frederic – Charlie Coyle – Craig Smith

Jake DeBrusk – Jack Studnicka – Nick Foligno

Anton Blidh-Tomas Nosek-Curtis Lazar

Defense:

Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

Mike Reilly – Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort – Connor Clifton

Goalies:

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark

Ottawa Senators Lines:

Forwards:

Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stutzle – Adam Gaudette

Alex Formenton – Nick Paul – Connor Brown

Zach Sanford – Dylan Gambrell – Austin Watson

Chris Tierney – Mark Kastelic – Tyler Ennis

Defense:

Thomas Chabot / Nikita Zaitsev

Nick Holden / Artem Zub

Erik Brannstrom / Josh Brown

Goalies

Matt Murray

Anton Forsberg