Bruins vs. Penguins NHL Spread/Handicapping
Headline: Marquee Matchup on Busy Tuesday – Bruins Visit Penguins
The Boston Bruins play their second game in two nights Tuesday when they pay visit to a sizzling Pittsburgh Penguins team who are fresh off a 6-1 thrashing of the New York Islanders Sunday. Both teams have been terrific this season and are expected to be there in the end fighting for the Eastern Conference Title.
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Boston Bruins (17-3-2-1) at Pittsburgh Penguins (18-8-0-0)
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Where: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Broadcast: RDS, TSN, NBCSN, NESN, ROOT
Bruins vs. Pens Betting Lines from GTBets.eu
Boston Bruins +1½ -265 +114 Ov 5½ -119
Pittsburgh Penguins -1½ +225 -126 Un 5½ +108
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The Penguins have won five straight games and head into Tuesday’s showdown having won three straight games against the Bruins. It is a matchup between one of the elite offenses in the NHL versus one of the stingiest defenses in the league. Something has to give!
The Boston Bruins just keep plugging along – a 3-2 shootout win last night against Ottawa took their season road record to an impressive 9-1-2. There is little doubt that Boston can bring the defense but they are quickly becoming one of the most balanced teams in the NHL – able to score as well as defend.
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The Bruins are averaging 2.91 goals per game offensively – middle of the pack but good enough when you have a defense like they do. The Bruins have just one player with 10+ goals on the season (incredible considering everyone on Sidney Crosby’s line has at least 10 tallies). Boston is balanced and they are dangerous no matter who they throw at you.
Boston, as mentioned has one of the nastiest defenses in the game – something that will be very necessary against Pittsburgh’s top tier offense. The Bruins get a small break Tuesday – Evgeni Malkin won’t suit up due to an undisclosed injury. Tuukka Rask made 30 saves for his second shutout, but backup Anton Khudobin could get the start in net Tuesday in the second of a back-to-back. Khudobin is 4-1-0 with a 2.41 goals-against average and has stopped 45 of 49 shots while winning his last two starts.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are on fire and it has been the offense that has carried them thus far. As mentioned, the Pens will be without Malkin but others have stepped up in his absence. League leader in points Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz both registered five points Sunday.
Crosby put up 11 points in four games last week to become the NHL’s Second Star and Kunitz leads the league with a plus-21 rating. He has 17 goals and 19 assists and has scored a goal in six of his last seven games. Kunitz has 10 goals and five assists in that stretch and ranks behind only Crosby and Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos (37) in points. James Neal extended his goal-scoring streak to four Sunday and has 17 on the season, and Pascal Dupuis scored twice to extend his own streak to three.[soliloquy id=”82219″]
Translation – Pittsburgh’s offense is scary. They have multiple weapons and a power play that is clipping along at an impressive 25.7%.
Marc-Andre Fleury should get the start for Pittsburgh, but he’s 2-1-0 with a 4.43 GAA over his last four starts – getting pulled after giving up four goals in the first period of Thursday’s win over Philadelphia. Fleury, though, is 6-2-0 with a 1.75 GAA in his last eight starts versus Boston.
Betting Prediction
A few trends to consider:
• BOS are 8-2 in their last 10 overall.
• BOS are 8-2 in their last 10 road games.
• Over is 6-2 in BOS last 8 Tue. games.
• Over is 19-7-1 in PIT last 27 home games.
• Over is 19-7-1 in PIT last 27 vs. Northeast.
• Over is 38-15-1 in PIT last 54 overall.
• Road team is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
• Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Pittsburgh.
The Penguins were a pedestrian 2-2 with Malkin out of the lineup last week – something was clearly missing for the Pens. Having said that the Penguins are riding a pretty big high right now and they catch the Bruins 24 hours after a hard fought game against Ottawa. A rested Pens team takes advantage Tuesday night and hands Boston just their fourth Regulation loss this year.
Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins -126
