Two of the leagues best at killing off power plays, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Boston Bruins collide at TD Garden for an Eastern Conference tilt. TVA Sports will broadcast the action, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, December 18.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Boston Bruins Odds
Boston (-130) is currently favored over Columbus (+110), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-135 to bet the under, +115 for the over).
Columbus is 20-13 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 3.0 units this year. Through 33 regular season matches, 17 of its games have gone under the total, while 15 have gone over and just one has pushed. The Jackets are 8-7 SU on the road in 2017-18.
Columbus has converted on just 9.6 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s ranked 32nd in the NHL. Its penalty kill is ranked fourth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.9 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, Columbus has been sent to the penalty box just 2.9 times per game overall this season, and 3.8 per game over its past five matchups. The team has had to defend opponent power plays just 7.0 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Sporting a .923 save percentage and 27.1 saves per game, Sergei Bobrovsky (17-10-1) has been the primary option in goal for Columbus this season. If head coach John Tortorella chooses to rest him, however, Columbus could go with Joonas Korpisalo (3-4 record, .903 save percentage, 2.97 goals against average).
The visiting Blue Jackets have relied on Artemi Panarin and Oliver Bjorkstrand this year. Panarin (28 points) is up to seven goals and 21 assists, and has recorded multiple points five times. Bjorkstrand has six goals and 16 assists to his credit (and has notched a point in 17 games).
On the other side of the ice, Boston is 15-15 straight up (SU) and has lost 4.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 30 regular season matches, 16 of its games have gone under the total, while 14 have gone over and none have pushed. It’s 9-8 SU as the home team this year.
Boston has converted on 19.8 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked seventh overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Boston players have been sent to the penalty box 4.2 times per game in total this season, 4.2 per game over their past five games total, and 4.6 per game over their last five at home. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays a whopping 15.0 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Tuukka Rask has stopped 24.6 shots per game as the primary choice in goal for Boston. Rask has eight wins, 12 losses, and three overtime losses and has registered a 2.44 goals against average and a .913 save percentage this year.
David Pastrnak (15 goals, 15 assists) will pace the offensive counter for the Bruins.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Boston Bruins Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- The under has hit in three of Boston’s last five outings.
- Columbus has attempted 34.7 shots per game overall this season (the second-most in the NHL), and 33.2 in its last five road outings.
- The Blue Jackets are 7-4 SU in games where they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Bruins are 7-4 SU when they serve more minutes than their opponent.
- Columbus is 3-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Boston is 1-1 in shootouts.
- One of the top teams when it comes to creating pressure on their opponents, Boston is ranked 4th in the league this season with 10.0 takeaways per game. That figure has trended higher recently, as it has managed 11.0 takeaways over its last 10 games and 12.0 takeaways over its last five.
- Columbus skaters have averaged 7.8 takeaways per game (ranked 12th).
