Two of the NHL’s most-lethal power play teams, the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins collide at TD Garden. This East-West matchup will get underway at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 10 and it’ll air live on New England Sports Network.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Boston Bruins Odds
Colorado (+170) is playing the role of underdog to Boston (-195), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. If you want to play this game’s total, you’ll be looking at odds of -105 money on the over and -115 for the under.
The Bruins are 30-25 straight-up (SU) and have punished moneyline bettors to the tune of -8.3 units so far. That early-season winning percentage is a slide from what the team managed during the 2017-18 season (50-32). 31 of the team’s 55 games have gone under the total, while 20 have gone over and just three have pushed. This season, the team’s 19-10 SU at home.
Boston enters the matchup with the second-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as it has converted on 27.2 percent of their extra-man opportunities this season. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 17th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.5 percent of all penalties.
Boston, as a collective unit, has been penalized 3.9 times per game overall this season, 4.2 per game over its past five matchups total, and 4.0 per game over its last five home outings. The team’s had to stave off opposition power plays for just 8.4 minutes per game over its last five outings, in total.
With a .922 save percentage and 26.2 saves per game, Tuukka Rask (17-13-4) has been the best option in goal for the Bruins this year. Rask did just play yesterday, however, so the Bruins may decide to give him the day off and instead go with Jaroslav Halak (13-15-15 record, .918 save percentage, 2.50 goals against average).
The Bruins will continue to lean on the offensive production from David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Pastrnak (66 points) is up to 31 goals and 35 assists and has recorded two or more points on 18 separate occasions this year. Marchand has 20 goals and 43 assists to his credit and has recorded a point in 34 contests.
On the other bench, Colorado is 22-32 straight up (SU) and has lost 16.5 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. Through 54 regular season matches, 29 of its games have gone over the total, while 23 have gone under the total and just one has pushed. Colorado’s 12-17 SU as the away team this season.
Colorado has scored on 23.9 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s good enough for seventh-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 29th overall and it’s successfully killed off 76.3 percent of all penalties.
Colorado’s players have been whistled for penalties 4.1 times per game in total this season, 4.2 per game over their past five match ups total, and 4.4 per game over their last five on the road. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays 11.6 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Semyon Varlamov (.905 save percentage and 2.95 goals against average) has been the main option in goal for Colorado. Varlamov is averaging 27.1 saves per game and has 13 wins, 21 losses, and seven overtime losses to his credit.
Mikko Rantanen (24 goals, 51 assists) has been one of the most vital playmaking threats for the visiting Avalanche.
Colorado Avalanche at Boston Bruins Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- The under has hit in three of Boston’s last five outings.
- The Avalanche are 9-15 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 13-19 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
- One of the best teams when it comes to creating pressure on their opponents, Boston is ranked 4th in the league this season with 9.1 takeaways per game. That figure’s trended upward, as it has created 11.2 takeaways over its last 10 games and 11.4 takeaways over its last five.
- Colorado has averaged 3.3 goals per game overall this season, but is down to 2.2 goals per match up over its last six games (0-6 SU over that span).
- Colorado has created 5.0 takeaways per game over its last five road games, its season average of 5.4 takeaways per game (ranked 31st overall).
