The Boston Bruins will be gunning for their eighth win in nine games since Bruce Cassidy took over as interim coach when they host the New York Rangers on Thursday night as -145 betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Boston offense has produced with Cassidy behind the bench, averaging over 4.1 goals per game in eight contests heading into Thursday night?s Rangers vs. Bruins betting matchup at TD Garden, while holding opponents to one or fewer goals in four of their past six outings.
That has produced mixed results on the totals, with the UNDER going 3-2-1 over the Bruins? past six games, halting an 8-0 run for the OVER.
The Bruins have emerged as a much more reliable bet on home ice in recent weeks, claiming victory in six of seven contests at TD Garden after failing to record consecutive wins during a dismal 3-7-0 run.
Boston?s current surge has lifted it off the playoff bubble and into a tie for second place in the Atlantic Division standings with 72 points, just six points back of the first-place Montreal Canadiens. But the Bruins remain stalled on the Stanley Cup odds at a distant +3300.
The Bruins are winless in three straight meetings with New York, including a 5-2 loss as -108 home chalk on Nov. 5, but face a struggling Rangers squad that travels to Boston looking to rebound following a pair of decisive losses on home ice.
The Rangers were outclassed in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals as +113 home underdogs on Tuesday, and have surrendered nine total goals over their past two contests.
New York has been dominant on the road, with 14 victories in its past 17 games away from Madison Square Garden, and is one of the NHL?s best puck-line bets on the road with an impressive 20-9 record.
The Rangers? strong play on the road has helped them maintain control of the Eastern Conference?s top wild card spot, and leaves them a full 10 points up on the Bruins. However, it has been five years since they posted consecutive wins on the road against Boston, claiming victory in just two of their past 10 visits.
The Bruins wrap up their current three-game homestand against New Jersey on Saturday before traveling to Ottawa for a showdown with the Senators on Monday. Boston has split a pair of games with the Devils this season, including a 2-1 win as -162 home chalk on October 20, but is winless in its past four road dates with the Senators.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
