The Florida Panthers visit the Boston Bruins Wednesday for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Boston leads the series 1-0. Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Panthers vs. Bruins odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Panthers got behind the 8-ball really quickly in Game 1, as RW Givani Smith was whistled for an interference call at 4:58 of the 1st period. Exactly 1 minute lately, RW David Pastrnak notched a power-play goal to put Boston up 1-0.
LW Brad Marchand added an even-strength goal early in the 2nd period to make it 2-0, and that stood up as the game-winning tally. Panthers LW Matthew Tkachuk had an unassisted goal in the 2nd, but that was their only marker. Boston led wire-to-wire, although it was a little more difficult than perhaps some expected.
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Panthers at Bruins Game 2 odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:55 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Panthers +200 (bet $100 to win $200) | Bruins -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Panthers +1.5 (-135) | Bruins -1.5 (+110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6 (O: -120 | U: +100)
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Panthers at Bruins Game 2 projected goalies
Alex Lyon (9-4-2, 2.89 GAA, .914 SV%, 1 SO – regular season) vs. Linus Ullmark (40-6-1, 1.89 GAA, .939 SV%, 2 SO – regular season)
Lyon stopped 26 of the 29 shots he faced in Game 1. He stepped in for G Sergei Bobrovsky when the latter fell ill in late March, and was a major reason why the Panthers qualified for the postseason. He has allowed 3 or fewer goals in 8 of the past 9 starts, including his Game 1 showing.
Ullmark earned his 1st career NHL playoff victory by kicking aside 31 of the 32 shots he faced. The 29-year-old Swede has won 5 consecutive starts dating back to a setback on March 28 against the Nashville Predators. He has allowed 3 or fewer goals in 9 consecutive outings.
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Panthers at Bruins Game 2 picks and predictions
Prediction
Bruins 4, Panthers 1
Moneyline
The Bruins (-250) will cost you 2 1/2 times your potential return, and that’s just too much risk for not enough reward.
Even if you were to toss in the Bruins on a multi-team parlay, including them sucks the value out of your bet slip or ticket.
AVOID, and look to the puck line instead.
Puck line/Against the spread
The BRUINS -1.5 (+110) are a good play at plus money.
Boston cashed on the puck line as the favorite in Game 1, and the B’s have cashed on the puck line in 3 of the past 4 games as a favorite dating back to April 9.
Boston covered the puck line in 2 of the 4 regular-season meetings against Florida, and it covered as the heavy favorite in Game 1. Look for more of the same in Game 2.
Over/Under
UNDER 6 (+100) at even money is the way to go.
The Under cashed in Game 1, as the Panthers were able to cobble together just 1 goal and Lyon did a good job holding the B’s to just 2 even-strength goals and one on the powerplay.
The Under is 7-3 in the past 10 Conference Quarterfinals games for the Panthers and is 4-1-1 in their last 6 against winning teams.
The Under is 15-5-1 in Boston’s past 21 against winning teams, and 18-6-2 in the past 26 outings at TD Garden. Look for another defensive slog in Game 2.
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