The Boston Bruins will take on the Carolina Hurricanes for Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series Thursday at 8 p.m.
According to the online sportsbook Betonline.ag the Bruins are favored by a goal and a half and are given -139 odds to take a 2-0 series lead. The over/under for Thursday’s game sits at 5 1/2.
A win for the fourth seeded Bruins would give the team a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, while the Hurricanes are looking to knot the series at one heading into Game 3.
Game 1 was a double overtime thriller that ended in a Patrice Bergeron wrist shot mid-way through the frame.
After playing nearly a game and a half worth of hockey a day prior, the teams’ conditioning will be tested with Game 2 starting just over 24 hours after the first contest ended.
Prediction
While Boston and Carolina looked evenly matched for much of Game 1, Boston’s top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak looked to find its footing after a dismal round robin display.
If the Bruins continue to get similar production in Game 2, the Hurricanes could find themselves in trouble.
Between the moral boost of Wednesday’s 2OT win and the improvement of the Bruins top-two lines, expect Boston’s talent to win out on Thursday and take the Bruins -1 1/2.
Neither team’s goaltenders looked especially comfortable in Game 1. Carolina’s Petr Mrazek has struggled this year and this game could ere towards higher scoring, expect the over to hit as well.
Bruins 5 Hurricanes 3
