Boston Bruins vs. Anaheim Ducks: Bet the Bruins in a Close One

The 4 Nations Face-Off break ends tonight, with the Boston Bruins hosting the Anaheim Ducks at TD Garden.

FanDuel Sportsbook’s NHL odds have the Bruins as hefty -194 favorites versus the Ducks.

The Ducks are nine points from a playoff spot and one of the NHL’s worst offensive teams. The Bruins are one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Boston won’t get many more chances to bank points, with 14 of their remaining 25 games against teams in playoff position.

Here are a few bets worth considering for Saturday night’s tilt. 

Boston Bruins -1.5 (+140)

David Pastrnak caught fire as the calendar turned to January, scoring 15 goals and 31 points heading into the mid-season break. Yet, the Bruins haven’t been able to put wins together, going 5-5-0 in their last ten games.

During that ten-game stretch, Boston scored three or more goals five times. The Anaheim Ducks allow an average of 3.02 goals per game. The Ducks offense is dead last in the NHL, averaging 2.48 goals per game. 

A resurgent Pastrnak wins the day while the Bruins keep the struggling Ducks offense at arm’s length. 

Total Goals Under 5.5 (-110)

Pastrnak’s hot streak aside, the Bruins lack consistent depth scoring. Their 2.75 goals per game ranks 25th in the NHL, and the power play converts only 14.5% of its chances. 

Elias Lindholm, who the Bruins signed in the offseason to fill the Patrice Bergeron-sized hole at center, hasn’t performed to his pedigree this season. Maybe this is his pedigree, and his 82-point 2021-22 season is the outlier.

Either way, he’s scored only ten goals and added only 19 helpers on the season. 

The Ducks are also a woeful offensive team. Anaheim’s 2.48 goals per game ranks dead last in the NHL. Their power play converts at a dreadful 12.1%.

Anaheim, at 24-24-6, is the definition of a mediocre team with a few pieces but no real offensive stars. Though they entered the 4 Nations break on a three-game winning streak, they only scored seven goals over those three games. 

The Bruins haven’t been great defensively, but a resurgent Jeremy Swayman shouldn’t have much problem keeping these Ducks off the score sheet. 

60 Minute Correct Score: Boston Wins 3-1 (+2100)

Jeremy Swayman spent the season’s opening months on the struggle bus, splitting time with Joonas Korpisalo. Joe Sacco has kept faith with Swayman, and that show of faith is paying off. 

Swayman played some of his best hockey before the 4 Nations Face-Off, shutting out the Minnesota Wild on February 4. The Bruins star goaltender stopped 33 shots that night and won hefty praise from Sacco. The interim HC stated the effort was one of Swayman’s best. 

The Bruins and Swayman should be able to keep the Ducks at bay tonight, but I expect some rust. Look for a 2-1 score deep into the third period, where Boston scores an empty netter to seal the deal.