NHL Odds: Bruins Look To Continue Atlantic Division Success Vs. Canadiens

The Boston Bruins will be looking for a seventh straight win over Atlantic Division opponents when they cross the border on Saturday for a clash with the rival Montreal Canadiens.

Boston dropped a 6-5 overtime decision in Pittsburgh as a +102 underdog in its last outing on Sunday but is a sizzling 17-3-3 in its past 23 contests ahead of Saturday night’s Bruins vs. Canadiens betting matchup at the Bell Centre.

The Bruins offense was firing on all cylinders prior to this week’s break, averaging five goals per game over their past six outings. Opponents also have been held to one or fewer goals in each of the Bruins’ past four dates with Eastern Conference rivals, and seven of nine overall, pushing the club to the top of the conference with just 102 goals allowed this season.

Despite Boston’s recent stingy performances, the under has prevailed in totals betting just once in its past six games but is 7-2 in nine Atlantic Division clashes this season, according to the OddsShark NHL Database.

A strong rookie class has played a crucial role in the Bruins’ success on both sides of the ice. Left winger Danton Heinen has tallied 11 points in his past 12 appearances including a trio of multi-point performances, while Charlie McAvoy has proven to be a steady addition to the blue line, racking up 21 points while averaging almost 23 minutes of ice time per game, and enters the second half of the campaign as a +1800 bet on the Calder Trophy odds.

The Canadiens also have been idle since topping the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 on Sunday as -180 home favorites on the NHL betting lines at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Montreal returns to action riding a two-game win streak but has tallied just five wins in its past 14 and has been held to one or fewer goals on six occasions, fueling a 10-3 run for the UNDER.

Montreal snipers also have struggled in recent dates with the Bruins. The Canadiens have scored one or fewer goals in four of their past seven meetings with Boston, including a 2-1 loss as -125 favorites in the Bruins’ last visit to Quebec in December 2016.

Following Saturday night’s contest, the Bruins return home to battle the Dallas Stars on Monday before hosting the Canadiens next Wednesday. The Bruins are undefeated in their last five at TD Garden and have also taken three straight from Dallas, capped by a 2-0 win as -227 home chalk in the Stars’ last visit on March 30.