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The Boston Bruins (13-11-3) and Chicago Blackhawks (8-15-2) are lined up for a Wednesday tilt at the United Center. The opening puck drop in the Original Six match-up will be at 7:30 p.m. (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Bruins vs. Blackhawks odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: First meeting; Boston swept last season’s series 2-0
Boston is playing for a second straight night and in its third game in its last four days. The Bruins took down the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 Sunday and the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in a Tuesday overtime game. Boston is 3-1-0 across its last four road games, and the club is 6-1-0 against the Blackhawks since 2020.
Chicago, which last played Monday (4-1 loss at Toronto Maple Leafs), totes a three-game losing streak into Wednesday’s contest on home ice. The Blackhawks are just 2-6-1 over their last nine games
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Bruins at Blackhawks odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NHL odds. Lines last updated at 10 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Bruins -150 (bet $150 to win $100) | Blackhawks +125 (bet $100 to win $125)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Bruins -1.5 (+165) | Blackhawks +1.5 (-200)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Bruins at Blackhawks projected goalies
Jeremy Swayman (7-9-2, 3.09 GAA, .892 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Petr Mrazek (7-10-1, 2.79 GAA, .908 SV%)
Swayman last toiled Sunday in a 6-3 home win against the Montreal Canadiens (he made 25 saves). He owns a .929 SV% in his last 4 starts.
Mrazek allowed 5 goals in his last start (Sunday vs. Columbus Blue Jackets). That marked the first time since Oct. 22 he had yielded more-than-3 goals in a contest. Since Nov. 10, the 32-year-old veteran has logged a .922 SV%.
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Bruins at Blackhawks picks and predictions
Prediction
Bruins 5, Blackhawks 2
Moneyline
Not much interest in either of these sides, but the Boston action on the Puck Line is tinged with a tad more value in a game with a likeable Over. PASS.
Puck line/Against the spread
The last four Boston-Chicago meetings have seen three Bruin wins; all were by multi-goal cushions. Over the last 10 meetings, Boston has averaged 39.8 shots per game.
Even-strength analytics applied to all four corners of this match-up (both sides’ offense, defense) reveal the Boston offense to be the biggest value when it comes to expected vs. actual production. A Bruins club averaging just 2.48 goals per game has been undermined by a low shooting percentage in 5-on-5 high-danger looks.
Peg Swayman’s numbers as being shaded by a few too many power-play goals allowed (.805 SV% in such situations), and Boston is catching a Blackhawks defense that has allowed 10 goals over its last two games and has been a bit leaky of late in yielding too many shots from the slot.
All that noted and with prices considered, the lean here is a soft one. A partial-unit play on the BRUINS -1.5 (+165) is the recommendation.
Over/Under
The Over has cashed in the Blackhawks’ last two home games and in two of the Bruins’ last three on the road.
Expected-vs.-actual 5-on-5 analytics peg both offenses as underperforming and being due some regression. The Boston offense has performed better on road ice, and the Chicago one better at home. Mix in a very good ‘Hawk power play (23.5%–10th NHL) and a Bruins club that takes more penalties than average, and the value here is on a loftier score than how the total lays this one out.
Over the last two seasons, Boston’s games on the back half of two in a row have seen higher scoring averages both for and against.
BET THE OVER 5.5 (-118).
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