Will Montreal Headhunt Chara at Boston Tonight?

Frank Doyle anticipates strife when Montreal and Boston renew acquaintances in Beantown tonight.

There’s always been something of a frontier spirit about hockey. A feeling that due process is all very well but sometimes you’ve just got to shoot a man a down to keep the peace in Dodge.

This will be a source of sombre reflection to Boston’s Zdeno Chara as he straps on his skates tonight before Montreal take on the Bruins at Causeway Street. There has been ill-feeling all season between the Habs and the Bruins and only three points separate them at the top of the Northeast with ten games to go.

But this isn’t about hockey anymore. The world changed when Chara checked Montreal’s Max Pacioretty into the turnbuckle in the Bell centre sixteen days ago. The turnbuckle is the stanchion where the glass begins again after the bench, and when Chara crashed Pacioretty into it the world of hockey changed.

Chara wasn’t suspended for the hit (although Montreal police instigated an investigation) but it was clear that the next cheap shot would see a world of fury descend on the perpetrator. Which is why Pittsburgh’s notorious Matt Cooke is currently watching hockey on TV, and his bank balance is lighter by some two hundred grand.

The big bad Bruins of Boston are NHL betting favorites to beat Montreal but the Habs have to be a bargain bet as an underdog. For starters, Montreal leads the season series 4-1, and that seems like a formline. But secondly, and more importantly, Montreal wants to win one for Pacioretty. There may be fighting and the Bruins are more likely to win that, being bigger, stronger and meaner. But the Habs would take the W as some measure of retribution.

There are two other big games of note tonight. Pittsburgh visits Philadelphia in a contest between second and first in the Atlantic, and Ottawa is next up for the Rangers who are on a five game winning streak that’s looking good to carry them all the way to the playoffs.

Philadelphia is a home favorite, but the very fact that the Penguins are in contention for the Atlantic title at all is testimony to what a great team Pittsburgh is. Another sneaky suspicion for the road dog here.

The home favorite to bet on tonight, even though the price is short, has to be the Rangers. The Senators are as cold as the Rangers are hot. A bet on the puckline or the Rangers in regulation is the real value bet here.