Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Odds
Opening Moneyline: Boston -135 / Toronto +115 O/U 5.5 goals
Time: 7 PM EST Saturday April 3, 2010 on NHL NET
Tonight in an important game for one team the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins. The Maple Leafs will not be making the post-season and they have the worst record in the Eastern Conference while the Bruins need to finish the season well to make the playoffs. The Bruins are tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the last playoff spot only 2 points ahead of the New York Rangers and Atlanta Thrashers.
Even though Toronto has the fewest points in the East they are coming off a win, are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, and has a winning record at home. Boston is coming off a loss and is 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Even though the Bruins have a weak offense they will be facing a Maple Leafs defense that is giving up the 2nmd most goals per game (3.22).
This season the Maple Leafs are 18-16-5 at home and the Bruins are 19-13-6 on the road.
Both teams played on Thursday night, as Boston lost to the Florida Panthers 1-0 while Toronto beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-2.
Boston has to win this game with their solid defense, which is giving up an average of only 2.35 goals per game, since their offense ranks dead last in the league only averaging 2.36 goals per game. In their last 3 games the Bruins have only scored 3 goals, but they have only given up 3 goals.
The Bruins are the road team in this game, but they have a better record on the road than they do at home.
Toronto's offense ranks 20th in the league in scoring (2.62 goals per game) and they will be facing Boston G Tuukka Rask (19 wins 1.99 GAA save percentage 93%), who is the main reason the Bruins are in the playoffs race. Rask leads the league in GAA and is 3-2-0 with a 1.26 GAA and 2 shutouts in his last 6 games.
Boston has lost both games at Toronto this season.
Toronto will need a solid game from whoever starts in goal and they also have to stay out of the penalty box. Even though Boston has failed to score a power-play goal in 11 of their last 12 games they have 5 power-play goals in 5 games against Toronto this season.
Boston needs to get a win in this game, as their next 2 are killers facing Washington and Buffalo, who are currently the top 2 teams in the East.
Betting Trends
Boston is 9-4 in their last 13 road games, 4-1 in their last 5 games after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game, and has an Under record of 16-7-4 in their last 27 games against teams with a losing record.
Toronto is 7-2 in their last 9 home games, 9-4 in their last 13 games, and has an Under record of 5-1 in their last 6 home games.
Our Selection : Take Toronto +115.
Future Betting Odds
NHL Handicapping
Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins 5-17
The Boston Bruins need to play much better in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bruins lost the opener 5-2 at home and can ill-afford to fall behind 2-0 to Lightning. Tampa Bay are on quite a roll, winning their last eight in a row in the playoffs. The oddsmaker at Bodog have the Bruins as a -145 favorite to even-up the series.