Game 53: Boston Bruins @ Los Angeles Kings Lines, Betting, Preview

The Boston Bruins (31-17-4, 66 pts) will look to extend their win streak to five games Monday night in Los Angeles when they take on the Kings (29-17-7, 65 pts), who come into the game already riding a five-game win streak.

The Bruins come in on the heels of a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks in San Jose this past Saturday and the Kings are fresh off their fifth-straight victory and a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders at Crypto.com Arena. This is the first game of the season between the two teams who will face off again in Boston next Monday.

Boston Bruins rookie goalie Jeremy Swayman will get the nod in the rematch tonight. Swayman has won his last three starts and is 4-0-1 with a shutout since his last loss on Feb. 8. He’s 12-7-3 with a 2.04 GAA and .926 save percentage.

Kings and former UMass goalie Jonathan Quick will look to continue his bounce-back season between the pipes for the Kings tonight. Quick is 14-10-6 with a 2.55 GAA and .913 save percentage.

Betting, Prediction: Per our friends at BetUS, the DRAW is +320 here and Brad Marchand to get six or more shots is +300 value. With both of those scenarios having a more than solid chance of happening with two hot teams battling it out and Marchand pouring on 15 shots in his last two games, those are our BetUs picks for the game.

Prediction: Bruins 2 Kings 1 (SO)

Boston Bruins Notes

-As most right wingers (besides Craig Smith), do when playing alongside center Patrice Bergeron and left wing Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk has prospered since being slotted in next to the team’s two best players. After a two-goal performance and scoring the overtime winner against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, DeBrusk had a helper in the win Saturday. He now has points in four straight games with four goals and one assist over that span. The winger, who still wants the Boston Bruins to trade him, now has eleven goals and nine assists in 47 games.

-Speaking of Marchand, after he unloaded with a season-high seven shots on goal in his return from a six-game road trip but not scoring on Thursday, Marchand one-upped his shot total Saturday and lit the lamp twice. Marchand now has 23 goals and 29 assists in 41 games and he leads David Pastrnak by a point with 52 for the team lead.

Los Angeles Kings Notes

-Kings forward Adrian Kempe is probably one of the most underrated stories this season. The 25-year-old Kempe is finally realizing his potential and leads the Kings with 25 goals. He has 11 assists as well to leave him one shy of his career-high in points when he amassed 37 points in 81 games in the 2017-18 regular season. His 25 goals in 50 games this season are nine more than his previous high of 16 goals in that same season.

-Former Montreal Canadiens center Phillip Danault is proving to be arguably the best unrestricted free agent signing from the 2021 UFA crop. Danault scored against the Islanders on Saturday and now has 15 lamplighters on the season. Danault also has 15 assists and as always, his defensive game has been Selke-worthy.

Boston Bruins Lines:

Forwards

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – Jake DeBrusk

Taylor Hall – Erik Haula – David Pastrnak

Trent Frederic – Charlie Coyle – Craig Smith

Nick Foligno-Tomas Nosek-Jesper Froden

Defense:

Mike Reilly – Charlie McAvoy

Matt Grzelcyk – Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort – Connor Clifton

Goalies:

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark

Los Angeles Kings Lines:

Forwards:

Alex Iafallo – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe

Trevor Moore – Phillip Danault – Viktor Arvidsson

Carl Grundstrom – Quinton Byfield – Dustin Brown

Brendan Lemieux – Blake Lizotte – Arthur Kaliyev

Defense:

Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty

Olli Maatta – Matt Roy

Tobias Bjornfot – Sean Durzy

Goalies:

Jonathan Quick

Cal Petersen