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Bruins vs Panthers NHL Betting Trends

• Boston is 14-6 straight up in its last 20 games vs. the Atlantic Division.
• Florida is 8-0 straight up in its last eight home games.
• The total hit the Under in seven of Boston’s last nine road games.
• The total hit the Under in six of Florida’s last nine games as the favorite.
• The total hit the Over in 10 of the last 15 Boston-Florida matchups.

Bruins vs Panthers NHL Game 1 Predictions & Pick (5/6)

Monday’s contest offers these Atlantic Division rivals the opportunity to take one step closer to the Eastern Conference Finals. Having said that, the Bruins haven’t reached the third round since 2019 while the Panthers just competed in the Stanley Cup last year.

Having said that, Boston enters this series having swept Florida during the regular season. The Bruins won all four of the meetings against their rival, outscoring the Panthers 13-8 on aggregate. The majority of the encounters were close, though, as three were decided by one goal while two required overtime.

The playoffs are a completely different beast compared to the regular season, though. Boston now has to face a Florida team that’s won eight straight games at Amerant Bank Arena, which includes a perfect 3-0 record in the playoffs.

One thing that the Bruins do have going for them is the specials teams advantage. They currently rank fourth and second on the power play and penalty kill, respectively, in the playoffs, whereas the Panthers sit ninth and sixth.

The Bruins were the better team when it came to special teams in Round 1. 

The Bruins will have a hard time winning if they can’t fix their offense, though. Boston’s productions died off the longer that its first-round series went on, proven by Jim Montgomery’s team scoring just three regulation goals in the last three games.

For reference, the Panthers averaged 4.0 goals per game against the Lightning and even found the back of the net six times in the series-clinching game.

Nevertheless, it’s going to be difficult for the Bruins to score if Sergei Bobrovsky continues to play like a god between the pipes. Although the Russian netminder’s 2.78 goals-against average and .896 save percentage in the postseason aren’t eye-popping stats, he did post a .969 SV% in Game 5.

Meanwhile, Boston hopes to see more of the same from Jeremy Swaman. He led all goaltenders with a .950 SV% in Round 1 and even backstopped his way to a 1.49 GAA.

Will the Bruins solve Panthers G Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 1? 

Given the Bruins’ recent goal-scoring woes, I’m taking the Panthers to win Game 1. Florida has been electric at home lately and has been playing well at both ends of the ice. Bobrovsky is also capable of becoming a brick wall at any momentum and could steal the game for the Panthers on his own if the Bruins struggle to find the twine.

Both goaltenders have been playing well lately, though, so let’s take the Under on the 5.5-goal total. It helps that the Under is already 7-2 in the Bruins’ last nine road games on top of being 6-3 in the Panthers’ nine previous outings as the favorite.

Bruins vs Panthers Game 1 NHL Prediction: FLA wins

Best Bruins vs Panthers NHL Bet: u5.5 Total Goals (-122)

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Best Bruins vs Panthers NHL Game 1 Player Prop (5/6)

While some Bruins vs. Panthers prop bets stick out, I’m taking the Over on Sam Reinhart’s 3.5-shot total (+127).

Reinhart led all Panthers with 23 shots on goal in Round 1, equating to 4.6 SOG per game. The veteran forward has now finished with the Over on this prop in eight of his last nine games while averaging 4.4 shots on goal per outing. Although it isn’t the highest success rate, it’s worth noting that he’s also hit the Over in three of his last six games against the Bruins.

Considering how Boston allows the seventh-most shots to right wings, I feel confident in Reinhart hitting the Over again.

Best Bruins vs Panthers Prop Bet: Sam Reinhart o3.5 Shots on Goal (+127)

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NHL Playoffs 2023-24 FAQ

When are the 2023-24 NHL Playoffs?

• The 2023-24 NHL playoffs are scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 20, and the Stanley Cup Final is expected to begin on Monday, June 3.

Where is the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Final?

• The location of the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Final will be determined once there is only one team remaining from each conference in the playoffs.

How can I watch the 2023-24 NHL Playoffs?

• Every game of the 2023-24 NHL postseason will be airing on ESPN, TNT, and ABC.

Where can I bet on the 2023-24 NHL Playoffs?

• Hockey bettors can wager on this year’s NHL playoffs and Stanley Cup betting odds on the majority of online sportsbooks, including the following that Betting News highly recommends: