The Nashville Predators (19-15-7) begin life without former head coach Peter Laviolette Tuesday, when they host the Boston Bruins (24-8-11) at Bridgestone Arena for an 8 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Bruins-Predators sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Laviolette was fired Monday along with assistant coach Kevin McCarthy. Former New Jersey Devils head coach John Hynes was named as the replacement Tuesday.
Bruins at Predators: Projected starting goalies
Tuukka Rask vs. Pekka Rinne
Rask is coming off an overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Jan. 2, in which he allowed just two goals on 33 shots. He’s 2-0-3 across his last five games and now 15-4-6 on the season with a .923 save percentage and 2.30 goals against average.
Rinne stopped 23 of 24 shots on goal in a win over the Los Angeles Kings Saturday. The veteran is 14-8-3 on the year with a 2.98 GAA and .896 SV%, but he shares the league lead with three shutouts.
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Bruins at Predators: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 11:05 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Predators 2, Bruins 1
Moneyline (ML)
Take the PREDATORS (-106) as slight home dogs. The firing of Laviolette should provide a spark for Hynes’ first game. The Preds are 10-7-4 at home and 5-3-2 across their last 10 games, but they are coming off a 5-4 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks Sunday. The Bruins (-115) have dropped three straight for the second time in nine games and are just 4-5-5 across their last 14 games. They’re 10-6-2 on the road for the season.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Predators to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $9.43.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
I’ll AVOID the Predators’ spread (+1.5, -286) due to the chalky number. The alternate puck lines don’t interest me much, either. Boston is 20-23 against the spread overall and 10-8 on the road, while Nashville is 17-24 overall and just 8-13 at home. I’d lean to the Bruins on an alternate line (+1.5, -333) but there’s no value.
Over/Under (O/U)
Take the UNDER 5.5 (+100) and look for the Predators to get back to basics in a slow, dull game for Hynes’ first game behind the bench. The Over is 8-2 in the last 10 Predators games while the Bruins are just 3-6-1 in favor of the Under.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 156-135
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