NHL Picks, Odds: Bruins vs. Panthers Game 6 Betting Preview
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images. Pictured: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins
- Boston carries a 3-2 series lead over Florida as the teams clash in Game 6 tonight.
- The Panthers have hung strong to survive, but the underlying metrics don't bode well for the underdogs.
- Below, Grant White offers two bets for Bruins vs. Panthers Game 6.
Bruins vs. Panthers Game 6 Odds
| Bruins Odds | -180 |
| Panthers Odds | +155 |
| Over/Under | 6 (-120 / +100) |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Florida Panthers have made a series of their opening-round matchup against the Boston Bruins. The wild card team held the lead on three separate occasions before vanquishing the Presidents' Trophy winners in overtime.
It was a good look from the Panthers, whose backs were against the wall, down 3-1 before Wednesday's triumph.
However, Florida's success is contraindicated in its metrics, and the Panthers can't continue to get outplayed and walk away victorious. Their house of cards should all come crashing down in Game 6.
Boston Bruins
Although they came out tepidly, the Bruins have dominated this series over the past few outings. The B's were outplayed in each of the first two games, combining for a 59.1% expected goals-for percentage since Game 3. The Bruins have asserted themselves on both ends of the ice, pushing the Panthers to the edge of unsustainability.
Offensively, Boston is up to its usual antics. The top-seeded Bruins have eclipsed 10 high-danger chances in three straight games with a cumulative 59.3% high-danger chance rating and out-chancing the Panthers in two of three. Increased production yielded improved scoring in Games 3 and 4, but the Bruins hit a wall last time out. The B's were held to just one goal at five-on-five on Wednesday night, totaling seven in the two prior matchups.
The Bruins' expected output aligns more closely with what we saw in the former games. Boston ended the year as the second-highest scoring team at five-on-five, cashing on 9.7% of shots. They are due for an uptick in scoring after finding the back of the net just once on 38 shots, for a microscopic 2.6% shooting percentage, in their most recent contest.
Even if Florida puts its best foot forward, we're anticipating another strong offensive showing from Bean Town.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers' offense has operated on an all-or-nothing basis in the first round. Florida has been held to eight or fewer high-danger chances in three of five games, attempting 11 or more in the other two.
Interestingly, the only times they've recorded more than one goal at five-on-five have been in games in which they tried fewer quality opportunities, implying the Bruins goaltenders are letting them down.
Overall, the Panthers' shooting percentage is holding steady with their regular-season benchmark. Florida is scoring on 9.3% of shots this postseason, down slightly from their regular season average of 9.5%.
Still, there's a more pronounced valley in their five-on-five scoring. The Panthers are scoring on just 7.4% of shots compared to their 82-game average of 8.5%. Consequently, we could see a modest increase in five-on-five scoring; however, that's contingent on more consistent production.
Florida's best chance to pull even in this series comes on home ice; however, defensive zone coverage issues could be its undoing. The Bruins attempted 20 high-danger and 44 scoring chances in the first two games at FLA Live Arena, outplaying the Panthers by a substantive margin.
Unfortunately, that's been Florida's standard the entire season. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in high-danger chances against.
Offense will carry this team only so far, and as we've seen throughout the series, the Panthers lack the defensive zone coverage to limit their opponents' chances and scoring.
Bruins vs. Panthers Pick
The Panthers will have to sell out offensively to keep pace with the Bruins, but that puts them at risk of getting exposed in their own end.
Moreover, the B's are due for increased output, and Florida hasn't been able to weather that storm. Even if goals come more naturally for the hosts, it likely won't be enough to keep pace with a superior Bruins squad.
We're taking a stance on the Bruins punching their tickets to the next round in a high-scoring affair.
Picks: Bruins (-175 at DraftKings) | Bruins vs. Panthers over 6.5 (+105 at DraftKings)
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