NHL Odds: Bruins Favored Over Canadiens In Latest Chapter Of Rivalry
The Boston Bruins will be trying to avoid falling to defeat in consecutive outings for the first time in over a month when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday as -190 favorites on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston blew a first-period lead en route to a 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars as -156 home chalk on Monday afternoon but has claimed at least one point in 13 straight contests going into Wednesday night’s Canadiens vs. Bruins betting matchup at TD Garden.
The Bruins are an impressive 9-0-3 in 12 games since losing to the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers in back-to-back home games in mid-December, vaulting them into second place in the Atlantic Division standings and pulling them alongside the Caps and Toronto Maple Leafs at +1200 on the Stanley Cup odds.
Monday’s loss halted a five-game win streak on home ice, and marked the first time in six home dates that the Bruins have surrendered more than two goals. Boston has tallied five or more goals on three occasions during that run, resulting in a 3-3 record for the OVER in totals betting.
The Canadiens’ visit to TD Garden as +170 underdogs marks the second of three meetings between these rivals in a week. Boston escaped with a 4-3 shootout victory at Bell Centre as -140 chalk last Saturday, and has earned the win in three straight meetings with Montreal. However, the Bruins have struggled in home dates with the Canadiens, losing six straight prior to a 4-0 victory as -135 favorites in Montreal’s most recent visit on Feb. 12, 2017.
That loss led to the firing of Canadiens coach Michel Therrien, and the hiring of former Bruins bench boss Claude Julien, who returns to TD Garden on Wednesday for the first time since being let go by the club in early 2017.
Montreal has struggled during Julien’s second stint behind the Canadiens bench. The club has dropped seven of nine to fall out of playoff contention, but managed to put 56 shots on goal in a 5-4 overtime loss to the New York Islanders as -149 home chalk at sports betting sites on Monday night.
Following Wednesday night’s clash, the Bruins travel to Brooklyn on Thursday to battle the Islanders before returning to Montreal for a second straight Saturday night matchup at Bell Centre. Boston has won three straight against the Islanders, including a 5-1 victory in Brooklyn as -129 chalk on January 2, which extended the Bruins’ road winning streak against the Islanders to six games.
