The Boston Bruins will be aiming to halt a two-game losing streak when they host the expansion Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday as -225 favorites on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss in Columbus on Monday, and has picked up at least a point in each of its past five contests going into Thursday night’s Golden Knights vs. Bruins betting matchup at TD Garden.
That stretch includes a 2-0-2 run on home ice, capped by a 2-1 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings as -121 chalk, but the Bruins have struggled with consistency since the puck dropped on the new season, failing to tally consecutive wins while claiming just four victories through their first 10 outings.
The Bruins overcame a three-goal deficit to force overtime before falling to the Blue Jackets as +128 road underdogs Monday. But the club has sputtered at times offensively, particularly on home ice, where they have tallied just three total goals in their past two contests, and scored two or fewer goals in three of six games this season.
Injuries have been a factor in the Bruins’ uneven start. Center David Krejci has missed the past four games as he recovers from a back injury, and goaltenders Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin both have spent time in the clinic. The club also will be without David Backes indefinitely following the announcement that the veteran forward will undergo colon surgery this week, and will need eight weeks to recover.
The Golden Knights also are battling the injury bug as they make their first visit to Boston as +175 underdogs. The club stormed out to a record-setting start to its inaugural campaign, posting wins in eight of its first nine contests, exceeding expectations despite the loss of both starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and backup Malcolm Subban to injury.
The club has endured further injury woes since opening a lengthy six-game road trip in Brooklyn on Monday. Third-string goalie Oscar Dansk went down to injury in the team’s 6-3 loss to the New York Islanders as +153 underdogs, and the Golden Knights followed up by blowing a two-goal third-period lead in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to the New York Rangers as +198 underdogs.
Vegas once again is expected to have rookie Maxime Lagace between the pipes Thursday. The 24-year-old has surrendered nine total goals on 48 shots during his two-game trial by fire, but the Golden Knights will be looking to build on an inspiring 3-1 win over the Bruins as +146 home underdogs back on Oct. 17.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
