Tag: Boston Bruins

The most controversial officiating moments of 2019

The Rams-Saints, the World Series, Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA all saw plenty of controversy in 2019.

Plenty of controversy in sports in 2019. Unfortunately for officials, they were under the spotlight numerous times for calls that were not made or were considered highly questionable. It’s a tough job but some folks have to do it.

The non-PI call that changed football

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Officials are best off not seen and not heard. The calendar year 2019 opened with a play that resounds now and likely forever. With 1:49 left in the fourth quarter and the Saints at the Rams’ 13-yard line in the NFC Championship Game, Drew Brees threw a pass in Tommylee Lewis’ direction down the right sideline. Nickell Robey-Coleman came over and clobbered Lewis before the ball got there, clearly interfering with him. No flag. It was one of a few calls Bill Vinovich’s crew missed in the game …

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New York Rangers at Boston Bruins odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s New York Rangers at Boston Bruins sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New York Rangers (12-9-2) and Boston Bruins (17-3-5) will wake up early for a 1 p.m. ET puck drop at TD Garden Friday as they try to skate off some turkey. We analyze the Rangers at Bruins sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Rangers at Bruins: Projected starting goalies

Henrik Lundqvist vs. Tuukka Rask

Lundqvist is coming off his best outing of the season in which he stopped 41 of 43 shots faced for the home win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The veteran has a .914 save percentage and 3.17 goals against average to back his 7-5-1 record through 14 starts and a relief appearance.

Rask got the win in each of his last five starts and is now 12-2-2 on the year with a .931 SV% and 2.10 GAA. No goalie has more wins or shutouts (two). He stopped 33 of 34 shots faced his last time out against the Ottawa Senators.

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Rangers at Bruins: 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 Thursday at 8:40 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Bruins 4, Rangers 1

Moneyline (ML)

Bruins C Patrice Bergeron (lower body) is expected to remain out of the lineup. He hasn’t played since Nov. 23, with the Bruins winning two straight in his absence and five in a row overall coming into Friday. The Rangers are also on a season-best three-game winning streak, but each of those was decided by just a single goal.

The BRUINS (-278) are heavy favorites on home ice where they are 9-0-4 on the season. The Rangers are 4-5-0 on the road. Boston continues pacing the NHL with a league-best plus-31 goal differential with the offense, defense and goaltending deserving of equal credit. No team has scored more goals and only the Arizona Coyotes have allowed fewer. New York has a goal differential of minus-3.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The BRUINS (-1.5, +100) are a far more profitable play on the puck line where they’ll need to win by two or more goals for a $10 bet to turn a profit of $10.

Boston is 13-12 against the spread overall and 7-6 at home. New York is 15-8 ATS overall and 5-4 on the road. Both teams have equal rest after playing Wednesday.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 6.5 (-149). Rask has been one of the top goalies in the league this season and Lundqvist is beginning to show signs of his younger self. Both teams should be expected to come out a little sluggish with the early week-day start throwing them out of routine.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 86-75

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Montreal Canadiens (11-7-5) host the rival Boston Bruins (15-3-5) Tuesday at Bell Centre in a battle of the third- and first-place teams in the Atlantic Division. The puck will drop at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Bruins-Canadiens sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Bruins at Canadiens: Projected starting goalies

Jaroslav Halak vs. Carey Price

Halak draws his ninth start of the season in place of starter Tuukka Rask. He has a .924 save percentage and a 2.56 goals against average. He made at least 40 saves in two of his last three starts, though he has suffered back-to-back shootout losses.

Price allowed five or six goals in two of his last three starts and is 0-2-1 over the stretch. He is 10-6-3 through 19 starts with a .907 SV% and a 2.89 GAA.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Bruins at Canadiens: 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 10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Bruins 4, Canadiens 1

Moneyline (ML)

The two clubs are trending in polar opposite directions with the BRUINS (-120) entering Tuesday with three consecutive wins while the Canadiens (+100) have dropped four straight. Both teams have been off since Saturday when the Bruins dropped the Minnesota Wild 5-4 in overtime and the Canadiens fell to the New York Rangers by a 6-5 count.

Montreal is 6-4-2 at the Bell Centre while Boston is 6-3-1 on the road. The Habs won the first meeting this season by a 5-4 count in Boston Nov. 5, leaving the Bruins looking for revenge. Montreal is without LW Jonathan Drouin (wrist) and the Bruins are without C Patrice Bergeron (lower body). The visitors are the deeper team and will come out with the road win.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet for Boston to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $7.52.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The BRUINS (-1.5, +220) are worth a small wager with the potential for a great return on your investment. A $10 bet will fetch a profit of $22 should they win by two or more goals against the struggling Price and freefalling Habs. The Canadiens (+1.5, -278) aren’t worthwhile with the potential for just a $3.60 gain.

Boston is 12-11 against the spread overall and 5-5 on the road. Montreal is 13-10 overall but a woeful 4-8 on home ice.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 6.5 (-154). Price has been in awful form, but the rivalry matchup should bring out his best. Halak has been one of the top backups in the NHL and will have some added motivation while facing one of his former teams.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 80-70

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Minnesota Wild at Boston Bruins odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Minnesota Wild at Boston Bruins sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Boston Bruins (14-3-5) host the Minnesota Wild (9-11-2) Saturday at TD Garden. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Wild-Bruins sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Wild at Bruins: Projected starting goalies

Alex Stalock vs. Tuukka Rask

Stalock is 5-3-0 through nine starts and two relief appearances. The 32-year-old has a .913 save percentage and 2.56 goals against average with one shutout. He stopped 25 of 27 shots against the Colorado Avalanche in his last start on Thursday, a 3-2 win.

Rask enters Saturday with three straight wins over which time he allowed a total of just five goals. He is 10-2-2 through 14 starts with a .931 SV% and 2.05 GAA. He has been even better on home ice with just 14 goals allowed on 239 shots faced.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Wild at Bruins: 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 2 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Bruins 5, Wild 2

Moneyline (ML)

The BRUINS (-222) are expected to get some reinforcements with the returns of D Torey Krug (upper body) and RW Brett Ritchie (infection). Wild RW Marcus Foligno (lower body) and G Devan Dubnyk (personal) are expected to remain out. Minnesota (+180) is just 4-10 away from home while Boston is a near-perfect 8-0-4 at TD Garden.

Both teams won each of their last two games. The Bruins beat the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres by a total of 8-3; the Wild beat the Sabres and Avalanche by a combined 7-3.

Back the home side with a $10 bet returning a profit of $4.50 with a win in regulation, overtime or a shootout.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The top value play is taking the BRUINS (-1.5, +125) on the spread. Boston is 12-10 on the puck line overall and 7-5 at the Garden. Minnesota is 9-13 overall and 6-8 as the road team. Ten of the Bruins’ last 11 wins were by at least a two-goal margin. Nine of the Wild’s 11 losses on the year are by at least two goals.

New to sports betting? The same $10 bet for Boston to win by at least two goals would return a profit of $12.50 compared to the $4.50 return on the ML.

Over/Under (O/U)

The play is the OVER 5.5 (-115). Both teams have hit the Over five times in their last 10 games, but the Bruins’ lineup will be bolstered Saturday with the return of its top puck-moving defenseman. Boston scores 3.55 goals per game while Minnesota scores just 2.73 but allows 3.27 on average.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 67-63

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Sabres-Bruins odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Buffalo Sabres at Boston Bruins betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Boston Bruins (13-3-5) entertain the slumping Buffalo Sabres (10-8-3) at TD Garden Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Sabres-Bruins odds and lines while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Sabres at Bruins: Projected starting goalies

Carter Hutton vs. Tuukka Rask 

Hutton is 6-4-2 with a 2.73 goals against average and .909 save percentage. He will try to rebound from three straight poor performance where he yielded 14 goals on just 96 shots.

Rask is confirmed to get the start. He has a 9-2-2 record for Boston with a 2.06 GAA and .930 SV%. Rask enjoyed an efficient performance against the New Jersey Devils as he stopped 25 of 26 shots.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Sabres at Bruins: 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 10:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Bruins 4, Sabres 2

Moneyline (ML)

The BRUINS (-239) are enduring with the Torey Krug injury but the real concern is still Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron has a core issue keeping his playing status uncertain. It did not impact Boston at all against New Jersey Tuesday as it routed the Devils 5-1 in Newark.

The Bruins are our play on the moneyline, as they have the third-best record in the league.

A $10 bet with Boston results in a $4.18 profit with a Bruins’ win in regulation, overtime or a shootout.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Boston is only 12-9 against the spread but has won three of its last four meetings with Buffalo. The risk is winning by two or more goals and Boston has failed to accomplish that so tentatively we will AVOID this pick.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 5.5 (-115) is a nice play. Watch for the status of Bergeron again. If pushed, the feeling is the Over hits and Boston even covers the spread. 

Placing a $10 bet here will give a bettor a decent $8.70 profit with a total of six or more goals scored.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Bruins-Devils odds: Wounded Boston still a road favorite

Previewing Tuesday’s Boston Bruins at New Jersey Devils sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Boston Bruins (12-3-5) travel to Newark to face the New Jersey Devils (7-8-4) at Prudential Center Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Bruins-Devils odds and lines while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Bruins at Devils: Projected starting goalies

Tuukka Rask vs. MacKenzie Blackwood

Rask is confirmed to get the start Tuesday in New Jersey. He has an 8-2-2 record for Boston with a 2.14 goals against average and .927 save percentage. Rask looked excellent against the Toronto Maple Leafs as he stopped 29 of 31 shots during Boston’s 4-2 victory.

Blackwood is likely to start again for the Devils. He is 7-4-3 with a 2.79 GAA and .904 save percentage. Blackwood has won two straight games and has a save percentage of .922 over his last 10 outings.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Bruins at Devils: 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 4:15 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Bruins 4, Devils 3

Moneyline (ML)

The BRUINS (-154) are dealing with far more injuries than the Devils. C Patrice Bergeron is not 100% and D Torey Krug is out among a slew of other injuries, and yet, they are still road favorites Tuesday night. New Jersey gives up 3.50 goals per game at home and is 27th at home on the penalty kill.

It will be a high-event and chaotic game but the Bruins are our play on the moneyline.

A $10 bet with Boston results in a $6.49 profit with a Bruins’ win.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Devils are 7-12 against the spread which is still among the worst in the entire NHL. Part of the problem is their style of play which makes it hard to see them win by more than one goal. Boston’s injuries make a win by more than a goal difficult, as well. AVOID.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 5.5 (-134) is a good play. Watch for the status of Bergeron. This may be a bet to avoid if he does not look 100%. 

Placing a $10 bet here will give a bettor a decent $7.46 profit with a total of six or more goals scored.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Bruins-Maple Leafs odds: Division rivals meet in Toronto

Previewing Friday’s Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis and picks

The Boston Bruins (11-3-4) visit the rival Toronto Maple Leafs (9-7-4) at Scotiabank Arena Friday at 7 p.m. ET.

We analyze the Bruins-Maple Leafs odds and lines while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Bruins at Maple Leafs: Projected starting goalies

Tuukka Rask vs. Frederik Andersen

Rask is confirmed to start. The goalie has a 7-2-2 record with a 2.16 goals against average and a .926 save percentage. Rask has come back to Earth allowing 12 goals in his last three starts.

Andersen, expected to start, is 9-3-3 with a 2.72 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Andersen seeks to rebound after having an off night against the New York Islanders Wednesday, giving up four goals on 29 shots.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Bruins at Maple Leafs: 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 9:50 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 3

Moneyline (ML)

The MAPLE LEAFS (-115) is a bit less banged up than Boston (-106), though this is no automatic bet. Boston’s top line is still healthy and will get its points. It comes down to execution and Toronto’s top forwards still have enough speed to get by here and squeeze out a win.

It will be dicey and high-event, but take Toronto on the moneyline.

A $10 bet with Toronto results in an $8.70 profit with a Maple Leafs’ win.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The problem here is the teams have a tendency to play mostly one-goal games as they did in Toronto. Boston won the last meeting 4-2 on a late empty-netter. Toronto has been playing a style that does not let it pull too far ahead. So, if the Leafs win, it will likely be one or two goals. AVOID.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 6.5 (+115) is a modest, small play given how uncertain Boston’s depth looks after the Torey Krug injury. It makes an impact but forces the Bruins to go more on the offensive than usual. John Tavares and Auston Matthews should be able to create almost at will vs. Boston. The same goes for David Krejci and Boston’s top-six. Again, take the over!

Placing a $10 bet here will give a bettor a nice $11.50 profit for a cover.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Panthers-Bruins odds: Boston favored on home ice

Previewing Tuesday’s Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis and picks.

The Florida Panthers (8-4-5) meet up with the slumping Boston Bruins (11-3-3) Tuesday at TD Garden for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Panthers-Bruins odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Panthers at Bruins: Projected starting goalies

Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Tuukka Rask

Bobrovsky is 6-3-4 through 13 starts and 14 games played to start what’s expected to be a long tenure with the Panthers after signing a monster free-agent deal in the offseason. He has a .884 save percentage and 3.39 goals against average.

Rask is 7-2-1 through 10 starts with a .933 SV% and 1.99 GAA. The 32-year-old gave up a total of eight goals over his last two starts while facing 62 shots on goal.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Panthers at Bruins: 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 9:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Bruins 3, Panthers 1

Moneyline (ML)

The Bruins come into Tuesday with a 0-2-1 record over their last three games, but still possess a 7-0-2 home record after Sunday’s shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Their plus-17 goal differential is tops in the Atlantic Division and second in the NHL. The Panthers beat the New York Rangers 6-5 in a shootout Sunday to snap a two-game skid. They’re 5-3-3 straight up on the road with a minus-1 goal differential.

Back the BRUINS (-176) to buck the rare losing streak. They didn’t lose four straight games at any point last season.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Bruins to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $5.69.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Get better value on the home side by backing the BRUINS to cover the puck line of -1.5 at +150 odds and win by two or more goals. Nine of their 11 wins on the season were by at least a two-goal margin.

Both teams have been very successful against the spread, with Boston going 7-2 on home ice and 10-7 overall. The Panthers are 10-7 overall and 7-4 on the road. Still, take the value with the same $10 wager returning a profit of $15 with a multi-goal Bruins win.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 6.5 (-154). These are two of the better goaltenders in the league stuck in minor slumps. The smart play is expecting them to both get back on track, resulting in fewer than seven total goals Tuesday.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 51-53

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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