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Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens Game 4 NHL Gambling Prediction & Lines

Bruins vs. Habs Playoff Betting?

Boston Looks to Reclaim Home Ice Advantage – Game 4 vs. Habs Thursday Night

The Montreal Canadiens have become used to fast starts in their second round series with the Boston Bruins – unfortunately they have become used to coughing up leads in the third period and letting their Original Six rivals back in each game.

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Boston (59-21-4-6) at Montreal (52-29-5-3)
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, May 8, 2014
Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec
Broadcast: CBC, RDS, NBCSN
Canadiens lead series 2-1
In Canada? Try Pinnacle Sportsbook
Bruins vs. Canadiens Betting Lines
Boston Bruins -1½ +230 -126 Ov 5 -109
Montreal Canadiens +1½ -275 +114 Un 5 -101
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The Boston Bruins have a ton of work to do in order to get on level terms with Montreal – a quicker start is essential if they hope to quiet the rabid Montreal crowd and aim to take a little momentum away from the home-town team.

Game 4 Thursday night becomes crucial for both teams – for Boston, they will hope to gain back home ice advantage – for the Canadiens, they will be looking to put Boston on the brink with one more game to come at the Bell Center.

The Boston Bruins have not played their best hockey in the first three games of the series thus far – maybe it is the Canadiens game plan or maybe it is the absence of Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid on the blue line. Maybe it is the absence of any sustained pressure from the line of David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Jarome Iginla who registered one goal Tuesday night but have been largely absent for the majority of the three games.

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Tuukka Rask hasn’t had the best stretch either. He has given up an uncharacteristic 10 goals in the three games so far and allowed three goals on 25 shots Tuesday. He is 1-2-0 in the series with a 2.97 GAA and .884 save percentage.

Patrice Bergeron has a point in all but one of eight playoff games (three goals, six assists) – he is about all that the Bruins have consistently going on offense.

Surprisingly the biggest difference maker in the series thus far is PK Subban. Subban has three goals and eight assists during a six-game point streak, and has multiple points in five of his past six games including all three in the Boston series. Montreal has scored 12 goals in the three games so far and is getting contributions up and down the lineup.
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Thomas Vanek has two goals and an assist in his last two games and depth players Mike Weaver and Dale Weiss each have two points in their last two games – it speaks to the depth of the Habs and the dangerous nature of all four lines.

Brenden Gallagher, Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais have yet to score in the series – something that will have to change if the Habs hope to keep a stranglehold on this series.

Montreal has also done a terrific job in their own end. On Tuesday night they blocked a staggering 29 shots and when the shots got through Carey Price is there to slam the door. Price is outplaying Rask so far – hence the reason the Habs are up 2-1.

Dave’s FREE NHL Betting Prediction

A few trends to consider:
• Over is 21-7-3 in BOS last 31 road games.
• BOS are 2-6 in their last 8 road games.
• Over is 14-5-7 in BOS last 26 vs. Atlantic.
• Over is 8-1-3 in MON last 12 vs. Atlantic.
• Over is 8-2-1 in MON last 11 Thu. games.
• MON are 17-5 in their last 22 overall.
• BOS are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings.

The Boston Bruins have been victims of their own mistakes so far in the series – they were the better team in the first two games but lost on some uncharacteristic foul-ups. The Habs seem to be in Boston’s heads a little bit as we head into Game 4 – the Bruins have made far-too-frequent trips to the penalty box and the Canadiens are making them pay!

It is hard to believe that Boston’s Penalty Kill is under 80% in this series! The crowd in Montreal played a role in Boston failing to make a huge comeback in Game 3 – I expect more of the same Thursday night. Boston is struggling in almost every aspect of the game right now – Montreal is taking full advantage.

Take the Habs to get another step closer to the Eastern Final.

Pick: Montreal Canadiens +114

By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.