Eastern Conference foes meet in Boston on Saturday afternoon, and we have Hurricanes vs. Bruins predictions to prepare you for the opening faceoff. Carolina (7-3-0, 14 pts.) captured a 6-2 win over the Islanders on Thursday night at home. Boston (6-7-0, 12 pts.) snuck by Buffalo in overtime at home on Thursday, 4-3. This matchup gets rolling at 1:00 EST from the TD Garden. If you’re looking to cross-check the books and put some cash in your pocket, check out our free NHL picks!
Offense gets Hurricanes back on track
The Hurricanes were red hot to start the season, but have since cooled, going 2-3-0 over their last five games. They were able to get the offense rolling with a six-goal performance on Thursday, matching their season-high, accomplished on opening night.
This season, the ‘Canes are putting in 3.9 goals per game on average, the best mark in the NHL before Friday’s action. They are getting 33 shots on net per game, the second-best average in the league. Carolina has notched two short-handed goals but only three power play scores, and their 9.7% power play percentage is the worst in the league. The Hurricanes got goals from six different sources in Thursday’s win. Seth Jarvis leads the team with seven goals but has gone three straight games without a point. The center also suffered a lower body in Thursday’s game and is day-to-day heading into this matchup.
On the other end of the ice, Carolina’s defense has yielded 3.0 goals, 15th in the NHL, and 28.5 shots per game, 17th overall. They’ve shied away from contact a bit, ranking 31st in the league with 200 hits. They have 165 giveaways to 45 takeaways. On the penalty kill, the Hurricanes are 13th in the league, shutting things down 82.1% of the time. Frederik Andersen has been between the pipes in six of 10 games. With Brandon Bussi having gone on Thursday and an early afternoon game here, it should be Andersen, who is 4-2-0 with a 3.11 goals against average and .892 save percentage. Despite playing only six games, Shayne Gostisbehere is the top-producing defenseman with a goal and six assists.
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Terms & Conditions Team notes Gostisbehere missed Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury and is day-to-day on the injury report. Sean Walker leads the team and ranks 21st in the league with an average time on ice of 23:55. The team is tied for the league lead with 14 first-period goals. Bruins figuring some things out
The Bruins were sinking like a stone, mired in a six-game losing streak and without an identity after a 3-0-0 start. Things have turned over the last four games, with the team capturing three wins, including an overtime victory against Buffalo.
The Bruins’ offense is averaging 3.31 goals per game, the 16th-best mark in the NHL. They are getting off the 10th fewest shots, 26.7 per game. Boston is second in the NHL with a 55% success rate on faceoffs. On the power play, the B’s have found the back of the net 10 times on 45 chances, but they are among a pack of teams still without a short-handed offering. Before Friday’s games, Morgan Geekie led the team and was part of a seven-player pack atop the league with 9 goals. David Pastrnak has added seven goals, and with 11 assists, he is tied for third in the league with 17 points.
On the defensive end, the Bruins are allowing 3.62 goals per game, the seventh-highest average against in the league. Opponents are averaging 30.1 shots per game against them, sixth most in the NHL. Boston’s 212 giveaways and their 62 takeaways are both the third most overall. The team has burned off 30 penalty kill situations, allowing eight goals while down a man. Jeremy Swayman will be the likely call here as he last played on Monday. In seven starts, the B’s netminder is 3-4-0 with a 3.45 GAA and .886 save percentage. Charlie McAvoy is averaging 24:03 TOI per game on the blue line and has contributed eight assists to the effort.
Team notes Elias Lindholm suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday’s game and played only 11 shifts. Before Friday’s games, they led the league with 318 hits. The Bruins also lead the league with 222 blocked shots. Hurricanes vs. Bruins PicksMoney Line Pick for Hurricanes vs. Bruins
The Hurricanes won two of three meetings last season, both at home. The Bruins have not been good for much of the year, and even when they win, they haven’t been at their best. Pastrnak is one of the better players in the league, but after their top two lines, the talent level drops off drastically. Boston has a big issue closing things out, as they’ve allowed 20 goals in the third period, the second most in the league. They are also likely without their top center, Elias Lindholm, for this one. Then there is the Swayman issue. For the amount of money the team threw at him, he should not be platooning with Joonas Korpisalo, but here we are. It hasn’t done much to help the Bruins’ netminder’s confidence and has yet to look comfortable out there this season. He sat out the last two games, so I don’t expect much from him here. When the Hurricanes score first in a game, they’ve won six games this season, tied for the league lead. Given what the Bruins are going to be putting on the ice, I like Carolina’s chances to strike first. They are 6-4 in their last ten games against Boston.
Take the Hurricanes.
Over/Under Pick for Hurricanes vs. Bruins
These two teams averaged a combined seven goals per game when they met last season. This matchup has the top-scoring offense in the ice, and while the Bruins rank 16th overall, they are no slouch with 3.31 goals per game. More importantly, we have two bottom-half teams in terms of scoring defense going at it, meaning lanes should be open for shooters in this matchup. Both teams are giving up at least three goals per game. The expected goalie matchup also has a pair of struggling netminders whose save percentage is under .900. The over has hit 14 times between the two teams this season.
Take the over.