The Boston Bruins roll into tonight’s contest on a six-game run, and can match their franchise record for wins in a season when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.
Boston has allowed just six goals against during its win streak, while Carolina’s offense has gone quiet with 2.63 GPG over its last eight outings.
Find out if the visitors can keep their streak alive in our Bruins vs Hurricanes NHL picks and predictions for Sunday, March 26.
Bruins vs Hurricanes best odds
Bruins vs Hurricanes picks and predictions
The Bruins enter tonight’s contest on the second half of a back-to-back after narrowly edging out Tampa Bay by a score of 2-1 on Saturday. They clinched the Atlantic Division title in the process.
Linus Ullmark earned first star honors as he stopped 26 of 27 shots, which means the net will be handed over to Jeremy Swayman against the Hurricanes. Swayman has been stellar this month with a record of 4-2-0 to go along with a 1.69 GAA, .940 SV%, and two shutouts.
This isn’t just a blip on the radar for Swayman, though, as the Boston netminder has been sensational going back to the start of 2023. Swayman has allowed more than two goals in just four of 16 starts this calendar year, while his four shutouts are the most among all goaltenders.
Carolina is also fresh off a win, defeating Toronto 5-3 on Saturday. The Canes didn’t have their best game though, as they were outshot 44-27, with the 44 shots against being the highest total they’ve allowed in a contest this season.
The Hurricanes have been up-and-down over the last couple weeks, going 4-4-0 with very inconsistent scoring, netting five goals in three of their wins while combining for just three goals in total through their last four losses.
We’ll likely see some tired legs on both teams as both the Bruins and Canes battled for hard-fought victories last night. That should play into Boston’s hands, as they’ve got the superior defense and goaltending, as well as a heavy style that’s suited for a potentially slower-paced contest.
That said, I’m looking for the B’s to have another strong defensive effort and hold the Hurricanes to Under 2.5 goals tonight.
My best bet: Hurricanes Under 2.5 goals (+130 at BetMGM)
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Bruins vs Hurricanes moneyline analysis
Tonight’s contest is pretty much a pick ‘em at most books, with both clubs coming in at around -110 on the moneyline. I do find that a little surprising, though, considering how good the streaking Bruins have been, as well as the fact that the Canes have been somewhat inconsistent over the last two weeks.
Both teams are elite defensively, with Boston ranking first (2.10 GAPG) and Carolina ranking second (2.56 GAPG) in the NHL this season. Where the B’s have the clear edge is on the offensive side of the puck, where they’re scoring 3.74 GPG (second), while the Canes (3.30 GPG) are right down in the middle of the pack (13th).
With Swayman playing his best hockey of the season in Boston’s cage and Carolina struggling to find much offensive consistency, I can’t see myself wagering against the visitors in this matchup.
However, if we consider their head-to-head history, the Hurricanes look to have the edge as they’ve won six straight home games against the Bruins. The home team is also 9-0 in the last nine meetings between the teams, so perhaps the oddsmakers have reason to believe in the Canes.
Bruins vs Hurricanes Over/Under analysis
The total for this matchup opened at 6 goals, with some books sliding down to 5.5 through Saturday night.
Boston has cashed the Over in five of its last six road games, though the B’s have seen more than six total goals in just four of their last 11 contests — primarily thanks to that excellent goaltending of theirs.
Carolina, meanwhile, has cashed the Under in seven of its last nine home contests, but have seen six or more total goals in four of their last six games.
The Under is 3-0 in the last three meetings between the teams, but the Over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 matchups — not really a clear trend either way there.
My first instinct would be that teams on the second half of a back-to-back tend to play lower-scoring games, but we’ve actually seen the opposite trend from the Bruins this season. Boston has played 11 back-to-back sets this season, with the second contest featuring six or more goals in seven of those games and each of the last three.
It’s hard to say whether the tired legs create more space or cause more mistakes, but either way I’m inclined to side with the Over tonight.
Bruins vs Hurricanes betting trend to know
The Hurricanes are 8-1 in their last nine games vs. Atlantic Division rivals. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs Hurricanes.
Bruins vs Hurricanes game info
| Location: | PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC |
| Date: | Sunday, March 26, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 5:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NESN, Bally South |
