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Carrie Stroup here with your Penguins vs. Bruins betting odds for Wednesday February 24.
Pittsburgh Penguins (30-20-8) at Boston Bruins (32-22-6)
Pittsburgh +105, Boston -125, Total: 5.5
The Penguins will be looking to pick up a big victory when they face the Bruins in Boston on Wednesday. Both teams have alternated wins and losses over their previous six games. So, will the Bruins win at the expense of the Penguins to keep these patterns going? Your wagering decision depends on what trends you place more value upon.
The Bruins have positively owned the Penguins of late, going 8-1-1 in their last 10 meetings, including 3-0 and 6-2 victories in December. Pittsburgh, typically one of the league’s highest-scoring teams, has averaged just 1.6 goals per game during that span. The Penguins remain without noted lamplighter Evgeni Malkin (23 G, 26 A, 49 PTS), out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, while the physically imposing Bruins are essentially injury-free. That may at least partially explain Boston’s 22-11 record against the spread when playing their third game in five days.
Yet, the Penguins do have Sidney Crosby (25 G, 31 A, 56 PTS), and his current form may be strong enough to overcome any disconcerting trends. In the past two months—since Pittsburgh’s two match-ups against the Bruins—Crosby has pocketed 16 goals and 13 assists to reestablish himself as one of the game’s most dominant players. There’s also the Penguins’ overall improvement in play to consider; their early-season malaise behind them, they are 9-4 straight up over their last 13 games.
Finally, consider Pittsburgh’s merits as a road team: It is 6-1 against the spread on the road against teams that score more than 2.85 goals per game (Boston is the third-highest scoring team in the NHL, averaging 3.1) The Bruins, meanwhile, are just 3-10 against the spread at home against teams that average more than 29.5 shots per game (Pittsburgh leads the league with a 32.7 average total).
Boston will look to counter Pittsburgh’s offensive prowess with its own scoring talents, and they have plenty. Patrice Bergeron (22 G, 28 A, 50 PTS) leads the team in scoring, Loui Eriksson (23 G, 25 A, 48 PTS) remains a threat on the wing—for now at least; he’s the subject of trade rumors—and Brad Marchard (30 G, 16 A 46 PTS) has already reached a career-high total in goals. It’s hard to imagine taking the under with these two stacked rosters, but that’s what’s happened in 10 of Boston’s last 13 home games against Pittsburgh, and we know how those have turned out.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
