Penguins vs Bruins Prediction: Boston Takes Aim at 6th Straight Victory

• The Boston Bruins (10-1-2) host the Pittsburgh Penguins (8-5-1) Monday night
• The Bruins have the league leader in goals, assists, points, plus/minus, goals against and save percentage
• Back up goalie Jaroslav Halak will start for Boston but is that enough to give Pittsburgh a chance as +145 underdogs?

There will be no shortage of superstars on the ice in Boston tomorrow night.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin face-off with Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak in a matchup that has the Bruins listed as sizable favorites.

Penguins vs Bruins Odds

Odds taken Nov. 3

The Bruins are listed at -180 and that number is actually providing some value. Boston’s starting goalie Tuukka Rask leads the NHL in both goals against and save percentage but he’s sitting this one out in favor of back up Jaroslav Halak. Despite the second-stringer getting the start, betting on Boston is still the play and here’s why.

Bruins Top Line Best in the NHL

Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak are the league’s best line. They have combined for, wait for it, 64 points in 13 games. That’s not a typo and I double-checked the math, they have been that good to start the year. Pastrnak leads the league in goals with 13 and points with 27 and linemate Marchand is tops in the NHL at +11.

Brad Marchand (2-3—5) and David Pastrnak (0-5—5) are the third set of @NHLBruins teammates in the last 30 years to each have five points in a game. The others:

Joe Thornton and Glen Murray (Dec. 28, 2001)
Dmitri Khristich and Jason Allison (March 14, 1998)#NHLStats pic.twitter.com/fiuaKGiS2z

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 28, 2019

Bergeron has the most modest numbers despite averaging more than a point per game. What he may lack in video-game-like stats he makes up for with his elite 200-foot game. He’s one of the league’s best defensive forwards, which gives his linemates the freedom to take chances on offense. They’ll be the key against the Penguins and there’s little reason to bet against them making an impact on the score sheet.

Halak a Capable 2nd String Goalie

Let’s look to another team in the Atlantic Division for a moment, the Toronto Maple Leafs. They have lost every single game they have started back up goalie Michael Hutchinson. The Bruins have no such problem, starting Halak with confidence whenever needed. He’s 3-1-1 this season and despite laying claim to the team’s only regulation loss, he’s more than capable of stopping Pittsburgh.

Jaroslav Halak: Goalie Start: Halak will start Monday vs. the Penguins. https://t.co/kgMTdibrb1

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) November 3, 2019

Halak ranks 17th in the league with a .919 save percentage and 23rd with a 2.58 goals against average. Those are not back up numbers. Part of that is due to a team defense which ranks first in the league allowing only 2.0 goals per game and part is his own skill. A veteran that has been a starter with other teams, he owns the ability to compete at a high level whenever called upon.

Malkin Still Catching Up to Speed

Malkin missed a large chunk of the season with an injury and has only been back in the lineup for one game. Being back on the ice isn’t always enough to contribute. It takes time to get back into the swing of things and this is where you can get some added value. Bettors will take the Penguins at plus-money once they see Crosby and Malkin back together but they aren’t firing at 100% yet.

Malkin is back on the team plane at the card table and playfully arguing with Letang. All is right with the world. #Pens -SK

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) November 3, 2019

Fade the big names in Pittsburgh and bet on the big boys in Boston to win this one. If you’re feeling conservative bet the moneyline, if you think the Bruins offense will continue to fire at this record-setting pace consider wagering on the puckline.

Pick: Bruins (-180)