The Boston Bruins at Air Canada Centre in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The matchup gets started at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 19, and you can watch it live on NBC Sports Network.
Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs Odds
Boston (-115) is currently the favorite over Toronto (-105). The Over/Under (O/U) is set at an even 6 goals and originally opened at -120 for the over and +100 for the under. Those odds have shifted, however, and they now sit at -115 for the over, -105 for the under.
Boston is 52-33 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 5.1 units this season. Through 85 regular season contests, 42 of its games have gone under the total, while 38 have gone over and just five have pushed. This 2017-18 Bruins team is 22-20 SU on the road.
The Bruins’ offensive skaters attempted 33.1 shots per game in the regular season, leading to 3.3 goals per contest (ranked sixth overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the club’s climbed to an average of 36.7 shots on goal (and down to 4.7 goals per game).
Following a regular season where they scored on 24.5 percent of all power-play opportunities (the fourth-best), the Bruins have connected on 45.5 percent of their postseason power play opportunities.
Averaging 25.8 saves per game with a .917 save percentage, Tuukka Rask (36-21-5) has been the top option in goal for Boston this year. If it chooses to give him a rest, however, head coach Bruce Cassidy might go with Anton Khudobin (16-15-7), who has a .913 save percentage and 2.56 goals against average this year.
The visiting Bruins will be led by Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Marchand has 91 points on 35 goals and 56 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 29 different games. Pastrnak has 39 goals and 50 assists to his name, and has registered at least one point in 57 games.
On the other bench, Toronto is 50-35 straight up (SU) and has earned 5.5 units for moneyline bettors this season. 44 of its games have gone over the total, while 35 have gone under and just six have pushed. This season, the team’s 30-12 SU at home.
The Maple Leafs currently have the second-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as they’ve found the net on 24.9 percent of their extra-man chances this year. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 12th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.2 percent of all penalties.
Maple Leafs players have been whistled for penalties only 3.2 times per game in total this season, 3.6 per game over their past five outings total, and 3.2 per game over their last five at home. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays just 7.9 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Frederik Andersen (30.5 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for the Maple Leafs. Andersen has 41 wins, 28 losses, and five overtime losses to his credit and has registered a pedestrian 2.87 goals against average and a .916 save percentage this year.
The home team offense will be led by Mitchell Marner (23 goals, 50 assists).
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
The over has hit in three of Boston’s last five outings.
Over Boston’s last ten games, eight of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 5-3 in those games).
Boston skaters have given out the league’s eighth-most hits per game (23.7).
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