Bruins-Maple Leafs prediction, pick, how to watch
It’s the last game before the All-Star break as the Boston Bruins meet the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Hover over the blue zone with our NHL odds series with a Bruins-Maple Leafs prediction and choose while showing you how to watch.
The Bruins are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes last weekend. They stumbled out of the gate and were down 3-0 heading into the third period. Then Taylor Hall cut the lead early in the period, but the Bruins couldn’t regain the upper hand. Linus Ullmark played effectively in goal, stopping 32 shots. However, he missed the offense. The Bruins went 0 for 6 on the power play. Similarly, the penalty kill allowed a power-play goal and let the Canes pass them 36-25. Boston won 58% of its faceoffs, but it didn’t make a difference. In the end, they only blocked eight shots on defense.
The Maple Leafs crushed the Capitals 5-1 last weekend. Initially it looked bad as they trailed 1-0 early in the second period. But then they turned it around with a monstrous second half that included four second-half goals. Additionally, Ilya Samsonov held the fort for Toronto with 23 saves. The Leafs went 1-2 on the power play, and the only mistake they made was a power-play goal they allowed in the first period. Additionally, they blocked 14 shots. John Tavares was a wizard with the puck, dishing out two assists.
The Bruins come into this game with the NHL’s best record at 38-7-5. Significantly, they are 16-6-2 on the road. The Bruins are also 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Leafs come into this game with a 31-12-9 record, trailing the Bruins by nine points in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs are also 20-4-4 at Scotiabank Arena. Additionally, Toronto is 6-3-1 in its previous 10 games.
The Leafs defeated the Bruins 2-1 on November 5, 2022 in Toronto. Then the Bruins took them back 4-3 in a battle in Boston a few weeks ago. The teams have split the previous 10 matches.
Here are the Ducks-Kings NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Bruins-Maple Leafs Odds
Boston Bruins: -1.5 (+198) -130 (ML)
Toronto Maple Leafs: +1.5 (-250) +106 (ML)
Over: 6 (-104)
Minus: -6 (-118)
How to watch the Bruins vs. the Maple Leafs
Television: TSN, TVAS, NEPN and SportsNet
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Why the Bruins could cover the spread
The Bruins have a lot of talent and are tough to beat. Now their players are looking to make one more splash before the all-star break. David Pastrnak leads the Bruins with 38 goals and 31 assists, including 14 on the power play. Meanwhile, Brad Marchand has 16 goals and 30 assists, with eight power-play conversions. David Krejci has 12 goals and 29 assists, including three on the power play. Finally, Patrice Bergeron has 18 goals and 20 assists, including six on the extra-man attack. Those four lead a Boston offense that’s second in goals, fifth in shooting percentage and sixth in power play.
Ullmark is enjoying a career year with a 25-4-1 record with a 1.90 goals-against average and .936 save percentage. So, he probably gets the start today. Ullmark backs a defense that is the NHL’s best in goals against and has the best penalty kill unit.
The Bruins could cover the spread if their “four main players” break loose and open up scoring opportunities. Likewise, their defense needs to recover from Sunday’s bad game and block some shots.
Why the Maple Leafs could cover the spread
The Leafs are on fire right now. However, the Bruins are almost always on another level, and the Leafs need their best players to excel. William Nylander leads the Leafs with 28 goals and 31 assists, including seven power play goals. Likewise, Mitchell Marner has 18 goals and 41 assists, with five power-play conversions. Auston Matthews has 25 goals and 28 assists, with 10 scoring on the extra-man offense. Finally, Tavares has 21 goals and 30 assists, with nine points on the power play. Those four lead an offense that’s seventh in goals, seventh in shooting percentage and seventh in power play.
Samsonov and Matt Murray share the net. Ultimately, Samsonov is 17-5-2 with a 2.31 goals-against average and .917 save percentage, while Murray is 11-5-2 with a 2.73 goals against and a .911 save percentage. There is no goalkeeper confirmation yet, so stay tuned for more information. Significantly, they support a defense that is seventh in goals against and 16th shorthanded.
The Maple Leafs could cover the spread if their “core four” beat Boston’s “core four” and have monstrous days. In addition, they must avoid taking penalties.
Prediction and choice of the Bruins-Maple Leafs final
The Leafs excel against the Bruins at home. Therefore, expect the same with another tough game, with the Leafs emerging victorious.
Bruins-Maple Leafs final prediction and pick: Toronto Maple Leafs +106 (ML)