Does regular season success come at a price? When it comes to the Stanley Cup playoffs, it’s fair to wonder about that. Looking at the NHL playoff bracket over the past decade will show that no winner of the Presidents’ Trophy given for the best regular season record in the league has won the Stanley Cup. The Chicago Blackhawks were the last Presidents’ Trophy winner to win the Stanley Cup in the 2012-13 season.
The Boston Bruins aren’t a typical top seed, though. Anyone looking to make a Panthers vs Bruins prediction will see that Boston set a league record 65 games and looked like an all-time great team.
Florida presents Boston with an interesting NHL matchup. The Florida Panthers started the season slow but surged in the second half to grab a wild card spot.
Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins Odds
Panthers vs. Bruins Information
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins
Location of the game: TD Garden Arena, Boston, Mass.
Date and Time: Monday, April 17, 2023 7:30 p.m.
How to Watch: ESPN
Recent Scores
Looking at the regular season, matchups show that making a Panthers vs Bruins prediction won’t necessarily be easy. Florida is capable of hanging in a low-event type of hockey game and keeping pressure on its opponents.
The Panthers and Bruins split their four regular-season meetings with Florida winning the last meeting between the teams in overtime back in January.
Panthers at Bruins Analysis
Looking at the NHL standings in December would have made things look bleak for Florida. However, the Panthers were able to clean up their act in the second half of the season to run down the Pittsburgh Penguins and claim a playoff spot. Florida was able to climb back into things by turning up the pressure on offense.
Anyone looking to make a Panthers vs Bruins prediction will see that Florida generates 36.8 shots per game. The Panthers have converted the high shot totals into 3.51 goals per game. NHL player stats show Florida rallied behind two 40-goal scorers in Carter Verhaeghe (42 goals) and Matthew Tkachuk (40).
Boston has a few players listed on the NHL injury report, but many have minor injuries and should be available. Most important is goaltender Linus Ullmark, who has been excellent this season. Ullmark is 40-6-1 in net and leads the league with 1.89 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.
Part of what makes Boston reliable for people making NHL betting picks is its crunching defense. The Bruins only allow 2.12 goals per game and have killed 87.3 percent of their opponents power-play opportunities.
Odds Breakdown
Panthers
- Moneyline: The Panthers are +185.
- Spread: Florida is a 1.5-goal underdog. The Panthers are 34-48 against the puckline this season.
- Over/Under: The over has gone 42-30-10 in Florida’s games this season.
Bruins
- Moneyline: NHL odds show Boston is a -220 favorite.
- Spread: The Bruins are 1.5-goal favorites and are 46-36 against the puckline.
- Over/Under: Boston has seen the over go 36-40-6 in its games this season.
Panthers vs Bruins Betting Pick and Prediction
The Panthers may be one of the NHL teams that can push Boston to the brink in a series. However, the Panthers will need to prove that they can score consistently against the Bruins’ crunching defense. Boston won’t feel the pressure of the moment just yet and will topple its division rivals in Game 1 as a -220 favorite.
This is a game that actually may clear the total by a goal or two. All four of the regular season meetings produced more than six goals. While it is possible that both teams will tighten up in the postseason, the familiarity may make it easier to create opportunities for both sides. This one will clear the total slightly.
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