NHL Stanley Cup Finals- Game 7 Betting Preview
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Boston Bruins at Vancouver Canucks
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 8:00 pm EST on NBC
Spread: Vancouver Canucks -1.5
Money Line: Boston +125, Vancouver -145
Over/Under: 5
The Boston Bruins will make one last trip to Vancouver this Wednesday night to try and bring home the Stanley Cup when they face the Canucks at Rogers Arena in a winner-take-all Game 7 of this year’s Stanley Cup Finals. The puck drops at 8 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
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Boston has been unstoppable at home in this series, outscoring the Canucks 17-3 in its three victories. The Bruins forced a Game 7 with a dominating 5-2 win on Monday night as a 149 home favorite. The total went ‘over’ the five-goal line. They are now are now 15-9 overall this postseason; 12-4 as a favorite and 3-5 as an underdog. The total is 5-5-1 in their 11 games on the road and is 12-11-1 overall.
If Boston is to have any chance at hoisting the Cup on Wednesday night, it is going to have to find a way to generate some offense on the road. The Bruins have tallied just two goals in their first three games in Vancouver and were shutout out twice. David Krejci and Brad Marchand have combined for 21 goals in the playoffs, but have come up empty on the road in this series.
The good news for Bruins’ fans is that even if their team’s offense struggles once again in this game, their goalie Tim Thomas still gives them an excellent chance to win. He has been lights out in this series; giving up a total of eight goals in the first six games. The vaunted Canucks’ offense has not scored more than three goals against Thomas and was held to one goal or less four times.
Vancouver was clearly the best team in the NHL during the regular season in just about every major category, so now it is time to cash on the benefits of earning home ice in the postseason in order to win its first title in franchise history. The Canucks are 15-9 overall this postseason; 1-5 as an underdog and 14-4 as a favorite. The total has stayed ‘under’ in nine of its 12 games at home and is 9-12-3 overall.
The team that has scored the first goal of the game in this series has gone on to win every time, so getting a puck behind Thomas early in this game has to be the top priority for Canuck sharpshooters Daniel Sedin, Ryan Kesler , and Alexandre Burrows, who have combined for 25 goals in the playoffs.
Roberto Luongo did not last long in goal in Game 6; giving up three goals in a span of a little more than three minutes in the first period. Cory Schneider came in off the bench to take his place and went onto to stop 30 of 32 shots, but the damage had already been done. Luongo has also been excellent at home; pitching a shutout in Game’s 1 and 5 and giving up just two goals in Game 2.
The odds makers have the Vancouver Canucks as a -1.5 point favorite with an over/under of 5.
Predictions: With just one game to play to decide which team is this year’s champion, you have to think the ultimate outcome is now in the hands of each team’s goalie. Thomas has clearly been better in net and will most likely win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the series MVP regardless of which team come out on top in Game 7, but stick with Luongo to bounce back with one more stellar performance at home to help his team win the game and the Stanley Cup.
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Boston Bruins Betting Trends:
- Boston is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games
- Boston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
- Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
Vancouver Canucks Betting Trends:
- Vancouver is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Vancouver’s last 17 games at home
- Vancouver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver’s last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
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