Bruins vs. Flames Prediction: NHL Betting Odds
The Flames welcome the Boston Bruins in their lone visit of the year. The Flames and Bruins will wrap up their season series on Jan. 3 in Boston. Calgary hasn’t won at home vs. the Bruins since Dec. 4, 2015.
Bruins vs Flames Betting Analysis
Last year, Boston won 2-1 in overtime at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Brad Marchand scored at 3:36 of OT on a breakaway – off a TJ Brodie turnover — and was the game’s No. 2 star. The No. 1 star was Flames goalie David Rittich despite the loss with his 30 saves. Matthew Tkachuk had the Calgary goal.
Calgary also lost in Boston last season, 5-2. Rittich was in net for that one, which the Flames led 2-1 after one on goals from Sam Bennett and Johnny Gaudreau. Patrice Bergeron and Riley Nash each had two goals for the Bruins. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots.
Rask is 6-0-3 with a 1.57 goals-against average, .942 save percentage and two shutouts in his career vs. Calgary. It’s not assured that Rask will play Wednesday because the Bruins also take the ice Thursday in Edmonton and he’s not likely to play both ends of the back-to-back.
Boston is 4-1 in the past five meetings overall.
Boston Bruins
Boston (4-1-0) is among the NHL’s highest-scoring teams at 4.4 goals per game and brings a four-game winning streak to Calgary after getting destroyed 7-0 in the season opener at Washington. The Bruins scored a season-high eight goals in Saturday’s home rout of Detroit. David Pastrnak had a hat trick (including the 100th goal of his career) and leads the team with seven goals. Bergeron had three assists and is tops on the team with 11 points. Jake DeBrusk chipped in two goals, and Rask had 32 saves.
The Bruins have outscored their opponents 20-6 during the winning streak. Their only weakness thus far has been a penalty kill that ranks 27th. The Bruins have won four of their past five vs. Pacific Division teams.
Calgary Flames
Calgary (3-2-0) completed a productive three-game road trip Saturday with a 3-2 overtime win at Colorado, the Flames’ first game to go past regulation this season. Elias Lindholm scored his fourth of the year at 18:06 of the third to tie it, and Gaudreau won it at 0:46 of OT. Rittich made his first start of the season (but second appearance) and stopped 24 shots.
There is one major injury concern for Calgary as Sean Monahan missed practice Monday with a lower-body injury suffered while blocking a shot vs. the Avalanche. He’s being called day-to-day. Monahan has four goals and two assists and is minus-2. The Flames are 2-7 in their past nine vs. the Eastern Conference.
