Penguins vs Bruins Odds, Pick & Prediction for 2023 NHL Winter Classic
By George Nassios in NHL Hockey
Published:
- The Bruins host the Penguins in the 2023 NHL Winter Classic on Monday, January 2nd
- Boston came back from 3 goals down to defeat Pittsburgh in their only other meeting this year
- The Penguins vs Bruins odds can be seen below, as well as our pick and prediction for this game
More than 37,000 fans are expected at Fenway Park in Boston for the 2023 NHL Winter Classic when the Penguins and Bruins battle it out on Monday January, 2nd. Surprisingly, it should be decent weather with the forecast calling for mostly sunny skies for the 2:00 pm ET puck drop with temperatures of 50 degrees fahrenheit.
The Penguins have been the streakiest team in the league this year and are currently on a downward spiral having lost four in a row. With a huge hometown crowd behind them, the Bruins are -155 favorites in the Monday NHL odds to hand the Pens their fifth straight defeat.
We take a look at more of the Penguins vs Bruins odds below, while also offering up our best bet and prediction for this contest.
Penguins vs Bruins Odds
| Game Time | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, January 2nd | Pittsburgh Penguins | +1.5 (-190) | O 6 (-110) | +135 |
| 2:00 PM | Boston Bruins | -1.5 (+160) | U 6 (-110) | -155 |
Odds as of January 1st at DraftKings Sportsbook. Claim the DraftKings Sportsbook promo code.
As the calendar flips to 2023, the Bruins stand atop the NHL standings as the best team in the league with 60 points from 36 games. At this point, they are on pace to smash the franchise record for points in a season.
Meanwhile, nobody knows what to expect from this Penguins squad that has been the most inconsistent team in the league this year. A win to start off 2023 against the best team in the league would be a huge boon to the confidence of a Pens squad that’s struggling of late.
Penguins on Another Losing Streak
If there’s anything you can take from this Penguins side when looking to place bets on them, it’s that you can ride the trend with them and have success on moneyline bets. They’ve lost consecutive games 11 times. They’ve won consecutive games 13 times. Whether it’s winning or losing, they are streaky.
If we break the first three months of their campaign up into chunks, you can see just how streaky they’ve been.
Pittsburgh Penguins 2022-2023 Results
| Dates | Games Played | Record | Points | Points Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 13 – Oct. 23 | 5 | 4-0-1 | 9 | .900 |
| Oct. 24 – Nov. 16 | 11 | 2-7-2 | 6 | .273 |
| Nov. 17 – Dec. 16 | 14 | 12-1-1 | 25 | .893 |
| Dec. 17 – Dec. 31 | 6 | 1-3-2 | 4 | .333 |
Luckily for the Penguins, they’ve gone on longer winning runs than losing slides. Currently, they’ve lost four in row and five of their last six even though they were the chalk in the NHL odds in four of those contests.
It’ll be difficult to break out of their losing funk against a Bruins side that hasn’t lost a single home game in regulation time so far this campaign. Pittsburgh has averaged just 2.67 goals per game in their last six, well below their season average of 3.33 goals per outing.
Although Connor McDavid is a huge favorite in the Hart Trophy odds, Sidney Crosby looked like he was making a run for the award and turning back the clock this year. However, he is currently mired in his longest pointless streak of the season, with no points in his last three games.
Bruins Are Kings of the NHL Moneyline Odds
No surprise here, but Boston has been the best bet of this regular season up to the new year. With a 34.16% return on investment on the moneyline, they have far and away been the best straight up bet in the NHL so far.
Bruins lose in OT to the Sabres
Boston
NHL best points %
1. Bruins – (28-4-4, .833)NBA best record
1. Celtics – (26-10, .722)on to next year
— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) December 31, 2022
Along with their incredible first-half success is a jump to the top of the table in the Stanley Cup odds after starting the season outside of the top 10 contenders.
The Bruins are no strangers to outdoor games, having participated four times since 2010 and winning three of those four contests. David Pastrnak has four career goals in outdoor games, the most all-time of any player. The Bruins winger sniped a hat trick against the Flyers at Lake Tahoe two years ago.
While Boston is coming off a blown third-period lead in a loss to the Sabres, they came back in a huge way to defeat the Pens in their only previous meeting this season. Down 5-2, the Bruins scored four unanswered to win 6-5 in overtime. Hampus Lindholm was the hero in that one with four points, including the game winner.
Penguins vs Bruins Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/01/2022 | PIT 5 – BOS 6 (OT) | BOS | BOS | Over |
| 04/21/2022 | PIT 4 – BOS 0 | PIT | PIT | Under |
| 04/16/2022 | BOS 2 – PIT 1 | BOS | PIT | Under |
| 02/08/2022 | BOS 2 – PIT 4 | PIT | PIT | Over |
| 04/27/2021 | PIT 1 – BOS 3 | BOS | BOS | Under |
If you’re looking at recent meetings to provide some good information when making your pick in the Penguins vs Bruins odds, don’t bother. If anything, inconsistency has ruled the matchups between these two.
In fact, these teams have traded wins in their last 10 head-to-head matchups. With Boston taking the first game between these two this season, that would mean it’s Pittsburgh’s turn to notch a victory in this rivalry.
Penguins vs Bruins Pick & Prediction
All odds, trends and smart betting money would be on the Bruins to take this tilt at Fenway. They’re coming off a loss, but haven’t lost consecutive games at all this season through 36 games.
'Ideal' rink, weather expected for 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic
Sent with @NHL https://t.co/K3kCfvTaGA— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) December 30, 2022
Contrast that with a Penguins team that’s currently on their second separate losing streak of four or more games this year. While Boston’s been the much better side, we like the underdogs to buck the NHL odds in this one.
The Bruins have shown a human side, having lost two of three since the holiday break and have to lose two in a row at some point. Since it’s the Penguins turn in their back-and-forth rivalry and Pittsburgh are getting desperate for a win to stay in a playoff spot, our prediction is that first losing streak comes at Fenway.
Winter Classic Pick: Penguins Moneyline (+135)
Sports Writer
George has had a lifelong love affair with sports and studying sports statistics since he was a kid. He graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and has worked in the sports & media industry ever since in various roles from writer to producer.
