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In case you have deluded yourself into thinking the Boston Bruins are not going to be heard from, think again.
It’s not necessarily going to be easy,especially in the East, where the Islanders are starting to play like the team that pushed things to the conference final last season. But Boston is holding onto the fourth playoff position, with games in hand on the teams ahead of them – the Islanders, Capitals and Penguins.
They just come off a win over Pittsburgh, and on Thursday they’ll be taking the ice against the Buffalo Sabres, who are a no-hoper in the East and a team with a lot of problems.
We’re not sure at this stage what the Bruins are going to do in goal, but indications are that they can’t go too far wrong with whatever decision they make. And that is a mouthful, considering they do not have Tuukka Rask available.
These teams face each other at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, beginning at 7 PM ET.
Boston Bruins vs. Buffalo Sabres Picks
Bruins vs. Sabres Betting Report
When: 7:00 PM ET (Thursday)
NHL Betting Lines
Money Line: Bruins -240 / Sabres +200
Expert NHL Predictions Tonight
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy made a decision on Tuesday that may have seemed bold on the surface, but had to come with some confidence. With Rask out and Jaroslav Halak needing a rest, Cassidy chose Daniel Vladar to start in net against the Penguins.
And he came up big, stopping 34 of 35 shots in earning the team a 2-1 victory. There was one spectacular stick save in the first period that killed a Pittsburgh chance to shoot into what was virtually an empty net.
Vladar had a 2.01 goals-against average and .923 save percentage while playing for Providence of the American Hockey League, and he actually played for Boston during the playoffs before appearing in a regular season tilt.
There was another alternative who is perhaps even more deserving of a chance. Jeremy Swayman has won all seven of his starts at Providence, and his GAA (1.57) and save percentage (.942) have been nothing short of brilliant.
And then of course, Halak’s numbers have been pretty good – in fact, better than Rasks’s (2.15 GAA).
So they are going to be okay no matter what, particularly against this opponent.
Buffalo has won just six of its 28 games, and the Sabres have a minus-37 goal differential that is surpassed in its ineptitude only by the Ottawa Senators.
Team captain Jack Eichel, who leads the team in assists with 16, is sidelined at the moment, as is goaltender Linus Ullmark, who has provided this team with the closest thing to any real consistency between the pipes.
Carter Hutton, who if you remember had such an outstanding season for St. Louis three years ago (2.09 GAA, .931 save percentage) is languishing, with a 3.43 Goals-against , one win in eleven decisions and .884 percentage. And he was rocked for six goals against Washington in his last start. Jonas Johansson, who is winless, has a 3.79 GAA. So what we have here in instability.
There have been twelve losses in a row for the Sabres, and eight of those defeats have come by three goals or more. We know we can’t go with the dog here. But in looking for an alternate way to go, maybe we’re okay with the laying it on the puck line.
The Play: BOSTON -1.5 GOALS
