New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins Prediction, NHL Odds
The Bruins have solidified their perch atop the Atlantic Division standing with three straight wins, capped by a 6-2 rout of the visiting Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. The Rangers travel to Beantown after dropping a 4-2 decision to the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, but with wins in five of their past seven outings, the Blueshirts maintain a narrow two-point lead over second-place Carolina in the Metropolitan Division standings.
The Bruins enter Thursday Night’s Original Six matchup as -135 favourites on the NHL odds, but are a lengthy +180 puckline bet to win by multiple goals. The Rangers trail as +115 NHL moneyline underdogs and the -120 odds favour the total going OVER 5.5.
Rangers vs. Bruins NHL Betting Odds
The Rangers skated to victory in their first two meetings of the season with the Bruins including a 2-1 victory in Boston back in December, and have now won in four of seven visits to TD garden. Despite Tuesday’s loss, the Rangers have remained stingy, limiting opponents to two or fewer goals four times during their current 5-2-0 run including shutout victories over St. Louis and Carolina, but have fallen to defeat in five of their past seven as road underdogs.
The Bruins have filled the net with 12 total goals in their past two games and have averaged 4.40 goals per game while winning four of their past five home games to lift their league-leading home record to 23-8-6. However, the Bruins have compiled a middling 9-6-2 record against Metropolitan Division opponents this season and have failed to win four in a row overall since mid-January.
New York Rangers
The Rangers ran into a hot goalie on Tuesday night, dropping a 4-2 decision despite outshooting the Jets by a 41-27 margin. The contest also marked the third time in five games this team has failed to score in the first 20 minutes. On a positive note, former first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere scored his second goal in as many games and added an assist and has now tallied five points during a four-game point streak. Veteran Artemi Panarin was held off the scoresheet after piling up seven points in his previous three games highlighted by a five-point performance in last weekend’s 7-4 win in Pittsburgh.
Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak maintained his recent torrid pace in Tuesday’s win over the Sens, recording his second hat trick of the season to bring his goal total to 44 on the season. Pastrnak has now scored six times and added three helpers during a six-game point streak and has scored four goals over his past six appearances against the Rangers. Jeremy Swayman is expected to get the call in net on Thursday night. Swayman earned the win in last Saturday’s 6-5 victory over Philadelphia despite surrendering five goals on just 29 shots and has made just 41 saves on 50 total shots over his past two starts.
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