Boston Bruins vs. Ottawa Senators Prediction, NHL Odds
The Bruins opened as -135 favourites to win on the NHL odds.
Bruins vs. Senators NHL Betting Odds
Ottawa will catch a break here in that Boston will be playing the second of a back-to-back and had to travel after hosing Carolina on Wednesday. In fact, it’s the first road game for the Bruins, who are 13-5-6 away, since Jan. 13 in St. Louis.
Thursday is the first of three regular-season meetings between these teams and will be Boston’s lone visit to Ottawa. They split the 2022-23 series 2-2 with the home team sweeping. David Pastrnak (3G, 2A), Jake DeBrusk (3G, 2A) and Patrice Bergeron (1G, 4A) led the B’s with five points each. Bergeron, a likely future Hall of Famer, retired after last season. There were some rumours recently about him returning this season because Bergeron has been skating with a group of friends and former NHL players in the Boston area, but Bergeron said: “No, it is not happening. I’m not making a comeback, not trying to make a comeback.”
Linus Ullmark won both his starts in net last season (and won the Vezina Trophy) for Boston in the series, and Jeremy Swayman lost both his. Ottawa used four different goaltenders in the four games. Drake Batherson (1G, 4A) led the team with five points.
The Bruins are 6-4 in the past 10 meetings overall. The under has landed in eight.
Boston Bruins
Boston had a five-game winning streak snapped in a 3-2 home upset loss to Carolina on Wednesday. Brad Marchand had two third-period goals to tie the game at 2-2, but Jordan Martinook scored at 17:33 for the Canes and it held up. It was Marchand’s 63rd career multi-goal game, tying Rick Middleton for fourth place on the franchise’s all-time list. Marchand also tied the legendary Ray Bourque for fifth on the Bruins’ all-time list with 395 goals. Trent Frederic had two assists in the loss. Carolina went 2-for-3 on the power play; Boston was 0-for-4. Because Linus Ullmark started that one in net, it should be Jeremy Swayman (15-3-7, 2.31 GAA, .923 SV) on Thursday. He has won four straight outings and allowed just six total goals. The Bruins are 7-2 in their past nine vs. the Eastern Conference.
Ottawa Senators
Maybe returning home is not ideal for the Senators considering they have won two straight by multiple goals and both were on the road. It was 4-1 in Montreal on Tuesday as the Senators collected their eighth consecutive win against the Canadiens, their longest active streak against a single opponent. Ridly Greig (seventh of season), Jake Sanderson (seventh), Shane Pinto (first) and Mathieu Joseph (eight) had the goals. Greig’s goal was shorthanded, his first such career. At age 21 years, 168 days, only seven other players have recorded their first shorthanded goal with the Senators at a younger age. Greig and Sanderson scored the 20th and 21st goals by an Ottawa player age 21 or younger this season. Only four teams have more such goals. Claude Giroux had his 699th career assist, one shy of becoming the sixth active player to reach 700. Winger Dominik Kubalik and blueliner Travis Hamonic were both out and are considered day-to-day. Ottawa is 4-1 in its past five vs. the East.
