Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Thursday’s Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins NHL odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

The Pittsburgh Penguins (4-2-1) travel to meet the Boston Bruins (4-1-1) at TD Garden Thursday for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop. 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 3:13 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Penguins +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Bruins -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Penguins +1.5 (-250) | Bruins -1.5 (+200)
  • Over/Under: 5.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)

Penguins at Bruins: Projected starting goalies

Tristan Jarry (2-2-1, 3.91 GAA, .868 SV%) at Jaroslav Halak (1-0-1, 1.44 GAA, .938 SV%)

Jarry is projected as the starter again. He allowed three goals on 36 shots in Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Boston. G Casey DeSmith, a native of nearby New Hampshire, could be tasked with the start. DeSmith is 2-0-0 with a 2.76 GAA and .871 SV% in two starts and three appearances. Whichever goalie is in the crease, the Penguins might have to do without the services of one of their top defenders, as D Brian Dumoulin left the last game with an undisclosed injury.

Halak is confirmed to start for the B’s, as bench boss Bruce Cassidy sticks to his goaltender rotation. Halak will be looking to build upon his first win of the season as he made 16 saves in a 6-1 blowout against the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday. He has allowed just three goals on 48 shots in his two appearances.

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Penguins at Bruins: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Bruins 3, Penguins 2

Money line (ML)

The BRUINS (-130) are the play as slight favorites on their home ice, as TD Garden has been a house of horrors over the years for the Penguins. The Pens are just 3-13 in their past 16 trips to Beantown, and just 8-18 across the past 26 overall against the B’s. The home side has cashed in 20 of the previous 26 head-to-head meetings with the favorite hitting in 22 of the past 29.

Against the spread (ATS)

While the Bruins -1.5 (+200) have dominated this series in recent years, a two-goal win is still a tall order. RW David Pastrnak (hip) will not play in this one, and the B’s have averaged just 2.25 goals per game in outings not against the Flyers. With Pasta sidelined, they’ll have a hard time generating offense.

Over/Under (O/U)

Back the UNDER 5.5 (+100). Halak has had it on lockdown in his two previous appearances, allowing a total of just three goals, and the Penguins matched a season-low two goals in the first end of the double dip. A total of five goals in this one is a good bet.

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Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Tuesday’s Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins NHL betting odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

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.

Get some action on this game or any NHL matchup with a legal, online bet at BetMGM in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN and WV. Risk-free first bet up to $500, paid in free bets. Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

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.

Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

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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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