Bruins Betting Analysis
The Bruins are coming off a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. Trailing 3-2 late in the third period, center Trent Frederic scored his 18th goal of the season on the power play to tie the game. Minutes later, center Pavel Zacha fired in the game-winner, which was also his 18th tally of the year.
The win propelled Boston into first place in the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of the Panthers. With at least one point against the Lightning tonight, they can clinch a spot in the .
The Bruins are led by their superstar winger David Pastrnak, who ranks second in the NHL with 45 goals and is tied for third with 101 points. Pastrnak has tormented the Lightning throughout his career, tallying 19 goals and 34 points in 32 games. Brad Marchand (27 goals) and Pavel Zacha (18 goals) provide a secondary scoring punch.
In net, the Bruins boast the league s best goaltending duo in Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Ullmark, last year s Vezina Trophy winner, is 19-8-7 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. Swayman has been even better, going 23-8-8 with a 2.58 GAA and .916 save percentage.
With Swayman starting Tuesday night against the Panthers, Wednesday s projected starting NHL goalie is Ullmark. The Swede is having a good season but he s only 5-6-1 vs the Lightning in his career with a .901 save percentage.
Lightning Betting Analysis
On the other side, the Lightning have been one of the NHL s hottest teams over the past few weeks. They are 6-0-1 in their last seven contests and are returning home after a perfect 4-0-0 road trip through the Western Conference.
On Sunday, the Bolts outlasted the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in overtime, with recently acquired winger Anthony Duclair scoring the game-winner. Duclair has provided an offensive spark since joining the Lightning, lighting the lamp five times in seven games
Anthony Duclair () since joining the :
Four goals and six points in five games.
NHL (@NHL)
Tampa Bay s offense revolves around their dynamic duo of Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Kucherov is tied for the NHL scoring lead with 123 points (41 goals, 82 assists) and has recorded at least one point in 12 straight games. Point has been on a goal-scoring binge, finding the back of the net 10 times in his last eight games.
The Lightning also have a formidable power play, converting at a league-best 29.0% clip. Kucherov and Steven Stamkos are tied for the team lead with 15 power-play goals each. They face a Bruins penalty kill that is ranked eighth in the league at 23.6%.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to start for the Lightning in goal. The former Vezina Trophy winner is 26-16-2 with a 2.94 GAA and .897 save percentage this season. While those numbers are pedestrian by his lofty standards, Vasilevskiy has elevated his play of late, going 8-1-1 with a 2.27 GAA and .924 save percentage in March.
Bruins vs Lightning Player Props
In the NHL player props market, Davis Pastrnak is the only odds-on favorite to light the lamp at -120 odds. His point total is 1.5, while Tampa Bay star Nikita Kucherov is the only other player who shares the same point projection.
