NHL Pick – Battle of the B’s
Monday’s Eastern Conference battle is another in a long line of important game for both teams. Not only will a win help solidify their playoff standing, but it will also send a message in what could potentially be a first round playoff match.
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Buffalo Sabres (41-23-10) @ Boston Bruins (34-28-12)
7:00 PM ET, Monday, March 29, 2010
TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Boston Bruins rank 30th on offense, and averaging 2.4 goals per game. The Bruins are 17.9% on the power play and have 43 power play goals.
- The Buffalo Sabres rank 9th on offense, and average 2.8 goals per game. The Sabres are 17.5% on the power play and have 51 power play goals.
- The Bruins average 2.4 goals per game at home, and give up 2.4 goals against on defense.
- The Sabres average 2.8 goals per game on the road, and give up 2.7 goals against on defense.
Buffalo Sabres: +130
The Buffalo Sabres have been playing some good hockey of late and it is a good thing. A 6-3-1 run over their last 10 games has allowed the Sabres to hold off the hard charging Ottawa Senators for the lead in the Northeast Division and ultimately for the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
Buffalo has scored 17 goals in their last four games and has bumped their overall offensive rank up to ninth in the NHL. Derek Roy scored a hat trick in the last outing against Tampa, Jochen Hecht has been playing well and Jason Pominville has been a points machine over the last week or so. Surprisingly, the lunch bucket Sabres are filling the back of the net. That combined with the reliable and stellar play of goaltender Ryan Miller has Buffalo looking like a scary team at the present time.
Boston Bruins: -150
The Boston Bruins have simply been average over the past 10 games, going 5-4-1, but they can thank the poor play of the Philadelphia Flyers for making them look good. The Bruins, despite their pedestrian play have moved up to seventh place in the Eastern Conference, only two points out of sixth and only two points out of ninth. The stretch run will be no picnic for the Bruins who seemed to start playing playoff type hockey weeks ago.
Boston has won three of its last four games and is starting to show signs of life after a listless stretch a couple of weeks ago. David Krecji has seven points in his last three games, Patrice Bergeron has at least one point in his last five games and Mark Recci has been contributing as well. Each of Boston’s goalies recorded a shutout last week, but Tukka Rank and his League leading goals against average seems to be the man going forward.
Boston is 3-12 in their last 15 home games. Buffalo is 4-10 in their last 14 road games. The home team is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings. The stats don`t give us much of a glimpse into the favourite in this game do they? Pick the desperate team with more to play for, I guess.
Pick: Boston Bruins -150
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