Trends don't pay the rent, until they do.
The Boston Bruins have played three games on the current hockey campaign and all three of them have sailed Under the posted total for goals. Eventually, they'll get healthier at forward, find fluidity on the 5-on-5 and their best player, David Pastrnak, will return.
Until then, B's games are going to be tight and they'll be extra responsible on the back end. I also believe their goalie tandem of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak is the best in the entire league.
Oddsmakers say the Vegas Golden Knights have a better goaltending tandem, but Vegas oddsmakers aren't always right. They're probably a little biased, too, in this regard.
Anyways.
Sportsbooks opened Thursday night's total between the Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers at 5.5 u-120. That's not nearly as expensive as it was Monday, when it opened 5.5 u-130 and the game finished 1-0.
The books are paying attention to the way the Bruins have played out of the gate, but they also have to account for how customers are going to place bets on a given game. This one will probably get good two-way action because of the B's opponent.
A quick peek at the Flyers' schedule might make your eyebrows raise when you see some of the final scores. Philadelphia has already participated in multiple track meets, with finals of 6-3, 5-2 and 6-1 before Tuesday night's much slower crawl at 3-0.
I would counter with the argument that Philly has played the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres, two teams that don't play a lick of defense and have obvious questions between the pipes. The Pens gamble quite a bit on offense by design and they're already 4-0 to the Over this year.
Injuries to Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase have limited what Boston can do at even strength and I believe the power play is going to be a work in progress until further notice. This doesn't mean the B's can't win hockey games. Stylistically, it just affects the way they skate and the risks they take. They'll be an Under team most nights until further notice.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Flyers-Bruins Under 5.5 goals (-120)
RECORD: (13-6-1, +6.4)
