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The Boston Bruins (42-16-15) trek to the Sunshine State to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning (39-25-7) Wednesday night. Puck drop at Amalie Arena is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Bruins vs. Lightning odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
This is the 4th matchup between these squads this season, with the Bolts taking 2 of 3. Both of the Tampa Bay victories needed extra time: they earned a 5-4 OT win in November at home, and last month it was a 3-2 shootout finish in Boston. Sandwiched in between on Jan. 6 was a 7-3 drubbing by the Bruins at TD Garden as C Trent Frederic scored 2 goals.
Frederic scored his 18th goal of the season on the power play Tuesday night to tie up Boston’s game vs. the Florida Panthers late in the 3rd period. Minutes later, C Pavel Zacha fired in the game winner, which also was his 18th of the season. Boston’s 4-3 win broke a tie with Florida atop the Atlantic Division for 1st place.
Tampa Bay is 6-0-1 in their last 7 games and have returned home after a 4-game West Coast swing. The Bolts outlasted Anaheim 3-2 in overtime Sunday, as LW Anthony Duclair found the back of the net for the 5th time in his 7 games played for Tampa since being acquired from the San Jose Sharks.
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Bruins at Lightning odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:03 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Bruins +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Lightning -118 (bet $118 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Bruins +1.5 (-245) | Lightning -1.5 (+198)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -132 | U: +108)
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Bruins at Lightning projected goalies
Linus Ullmark (19-8-7, 2.66 GAA, .914 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy (26-16-2, 2.94 GAA, .897 SV%, 2 SO)
Ullmark, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner, had won his previous 3 starts before taking the L on Saturday vs. Philadelphia 3-2. The 30-year-old played well despite the loss, making a crucial stop on a breakaway with 26 saves in all.
Vasilevskiy had the night off in Anaheim after suffering the 4-3 OT loss to L.A. the night prior. The defeat snapped 5 straight victories for the Big Cat, who is 8-11-2 in his career vs. Boston.
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Lightning at Bruins picks and predictions
Prediction
Lightning 4, Bruins 3
Moneyline
BET LIGHTNING ML (-118).
RW Nikita Kucherov, who is tied with Colorado C Nathan Mackinnon atop the NHL points list (123), failed to register a point for the 1st time in over a month and the Bolts still came out victorious against Anaheim. C Brayden Point and D Victor Hedman will be back in the lineup, and they will help propel an already hot Tampa team to victory.
Puck line/Against the spread
PASS.
No team in the Eastern Conference averages less time per game trailing their opponent than Boston, so I have no interest in taking a shot on the Bolts puck line.
Over/Under
BET OVER 5.5 (-132).
Point’s 10 goals in 8 games are tied for 2nd-most in the league since March 2. Point and the rest of Tampa’s offensive weapons should have plenty of scoring chances, as should RW David Pastrnak, Boston’s leader in goals with 45. Plus, the Bolts feature the top power play in the NHL (29.03 PP%) and Boston’s is 8th-best (23.64%).
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