The Bruins will try to halt a two-game skid and are home favorites over the Stars on Thursday night as Dallas looks for its second straight win on the road.
We build the blueprint for betting this marquee matchup on the NHL odds board, from our favorite bets for the side and total to some quick-paying picks and prop plays.
DALLAS STARS AT BOSTON BRUINS
QUICK HITTER
After a wicked stretch that included 12 wins in 13 games, the Bruins are learning how the other half lives with losses in two straight. Monday’s 5-2 home setback against the Flames was particularly disappointing for bettors who laid -200 on the moneyline with Boston.
Dallas comes in having won seven of nine after a 4-1 road victory over Carolina on Tuesday. The Stars have struggled early in games this season and have scored just 47 goals in the first period, fourth-fewest in the NHL. Expect the Bruins to regain their form on the back end after allowing 14 goals in the last two games. Despite that recent defensive lapse, the first-period Under is still 9-1 in the last 10 games for Boston.
Pick: 1st Period Under 1.5 (-132)
PERIOD BET
After a dismal 1-7-1 start to the season, the Stars have pulled to within four points of the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues for first place in the Central Division. Dallas is riding high and has registered at least a point in eight straight road games, but they are going up against a Bruins defense that has allowed the second-fewest second-period goals in the NHL this season.
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy had few kind words to offer up about his team after Monday’s loss to Calgary except the stellar play of the fourth line. Expect Sean Kuraly, Par Lindholm, and Chris Wagner to put pressure on the Stars and see some extended run in the period of the long change.
Pick: Bruins Second Period Three-Way Moneyline (+130)
TEAM/PLAYER PROP
This is a homecoming game for Tyler Seguin, who was the Bruins’ first-round pick back in 2010. Seguin spent the first three seasons of his career in Boston and has scored four goals at TD Garden against his former team including a hat trick in the 2015-16 season. Seguin has goals in back-to-back games and will be highly motivated to get on the scoresheet in some way against the team who drafted him.
Pick: Tyler Seguin Over 0.5 Points (-114)
FULL GAME TOTAL
This appears to be a bad matchup for the Dallas offense. Despite some recent struggles, Boston has one of the best back lines in the NHL and the Stars are ranked 25th in scoring. Tuuka Rask has allowed 10 goals in his last two games breaking a string of 11 straight starts allowing two goals or fewer. He made 28 saves and allowed just one goal in a 2-1 victory in Dallas earlier this season. The Under has hit in two straight for the Stars as they have held their opponents to just one goal in both games.
Pick: Under 5.5 (-140)
FULL GAME SIDE
Ben Bishop struggled in his last start between the pipes for Dallas, allowing four goals on just 13 shots in a blowout loss to the Blues. He hasn’t started a game at TD Garden since the 2016-17 season as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning allowing four goals on 30 shots in a 4-1 Bruins win.
With adversity knocking after two straight setbacks, expect veterans like Brad Marchand to step up for the Bruins. Marchand has recorded a point in seven straight games as the first line for Boston has been stellar all season. He also has eight goals and 17 points in 14 career games against Dallas. Expect the Bruins to bounce back as Bishop is shaky in net.
Pick: Bruins -1.5 (+160)
