The Boston Bruins (3-1-1) play their first game of two in three days against the Pittsburgh Penguins (4-2-0) at TD Garden Tuesday. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Penguins-Bruins NHL odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Penguins at Bruins: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:55 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Penguins +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Bruins -145 (bet $145 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Penguins +1.5 (-225) | Bruins -1.5 (+185)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)
Penguins at Bruins: Projected starting goalies
Tristan Jarry (2-2-0, .849 SV%, 4.28 GAA) vs. Tuukka Rask (2-1-0, .892 SV%, 2.23 GAA)
Jarry seems to have begun to turn a corner after being torched by the Philadelphia Flyers in each of his first two games of the season. He allowed 9 goals on 33 shots in those first two games, with one appearance lasting just 11:30, but has since turned in back-to-back wins against the New York Rangers with just 5 goals allowed on 60 shots.
Rask has faced a modest 65 shots through three games but has allowed 7 goals for a much worse than usual .892 save percentage. He is 10-6-3 for his career against the star-studded Penguins with a .917 SV% and 2.58 goals against average.
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Penguins at Bruins: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Bruins 4, Penguins 2
Money line (ML)
The BRUINS (-145) are a solid play at home, even without fans allowed at TD Garden. They’re coming off a 6-1 beatdown of the Flyers Saturday and have an extra day of rest over the Penguins.
The Penguins have rung up four straight 1-goal victories after getting smacked by the Flyers in back-to-back games to open the season. Three of those four wins went to extra time with two going to a shootout. They were outshot in each of their last two games.
Boston has a distinct advantage in puck possession while ranking second in the NHL with a 5-on-5 Corsi For percentage of 56.84 to Pittsburgh’s 10th-ranked 52.15% possession split. Both power-play units are clicking at better than a 1-in-4 success rate, but the Penguins are killing just 76.19% of penalties to a 90.00% kill rate for the Bruins.
Against the spread (ATS)
Stick with the BRUINS -1.5 (+185) to win by 2 or more goals at a better value. Rask should have the advantage in the crease, and he has long had the numbers of Penguins Cs Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins’ defense corps also remains ravaged by injuries.
Pittsburgh is 0-6 against the puck line thus far but will the underdog for the first time on the season Tuesday.
Over/Under (O/U)
Take the OVER 5.5 (-120) amid the shaky starts from both of Tuesday’s goaltenders. The Bruins should be able to generate plenty of scoring chances against the thin Penguins defense, especially if given power-play opportunities.
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