NHL Saturday Give and Go: Bruins to Beat up on Flyers
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Frank Doyle
HNIC NHL Odds, Preview and Predictions
Like it or not, the Boston Bruins are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference almost halfway through this shortened NHL season. Habs fans, sit down. Leafs supporters, let’s be serious. Pittsburgh, get a goaltender already. Most days, I’d rather go through a Jersey Shore marathon than subject myself to Jack Edwards fawning over his beloved Bruins, but you have to give credit where it is due.
The Bruins have just three regulation losses this season and have 15 points from a possible 18 in their last nine games. If you’re looking for pretty hockey, Boston’s brand probably isn’t your cup of team. The Bruins will grind you down and wear you out. They won’t give you much room in the offensive zone and if things get nasty, there probably isn’t a tough team in the league.
Just ask the Maple Leafs. Toronto had no answer for Boston’s line of Brad Marchand, Tyler Seguin, and Patrice Bergeron Thursday night. That trio combined for eight points in Boston’s 4-2 win Thursday, while backup netminder Anton Khudobin shut the door in a game that looked closer on the scoreboard than it really was.
The scary thing is the Bruins haven’t really gotten their power play going yet, but this matinee against the Flyers might be a good opportunity. Philadelphia has allowed nine goals in consecutive losses to New York and Pittsburgh and is an absolute mess in its own end most nights. The only way the Flyers are winning this one is if Boston gets in a ton of penalty trouble early and I can’t see that happening.
This is another big statement game for both teams, but look for Philadelphia to get frustrated. That’s not how you get out of Boston with a win these days. Boston (-185) puts another 4-2 win in the books.
Last Saturday we were treated to a 1980s flashback in Pittsburgh’s 6-5 overtime victory at Montreal. We might be in for a similar kind of game when the Penguins visit Toronto this weekend. The Pens are also having a terrible time keeping the puck out of their own net, but luckily for them, they have guys named Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Letang and Kunitz on the roster. Pittsburgh and Toronto have combined to play over the total in nine straight games and that’s where I’m looking (over 6 -105). The Penguins get out with a 5-3 victory.
Things haven’t gone exactly as planned for the retooled Minnesota Wild so far, but there are signs the club is turning it around. They have won five of their last eight and are coming off a rare break in the schedule following Tuesday’s loss to Chicago. With a few days to rest and regroup, the Wild will be a handful for Nashville, which is playing the second half of a back-to-back. Minnesota (+115) earns a 3-1 win here.
Frank was 2-1 with last week’s picks, hitting with Pittsburgh over Montreal and Phoenix downing Anaheim. He missed on Los Angeles’ loss against Vancouver.
Season record: 2-1