Panthers Favored To Beat the Bruins Yet Again
Bruins vs Panthers Betting Odds Favor Florida in Both the Series and Game 1
Atlantic Division Rivals Were Separated By Just One Point During the Regular Season
Here we go again. The Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight year. Boston was favored in the 2023 first-round series, but the Bruins vs Panthers betting odds favor the Panthers this time around.
The Bruins won all four games during the regular season. However, three of those games were decided by one goal with three of them landing under the total. When looking at recent NHL results, keep in mind that five of the seven games in the 2023 playoffs finished over the total.
The NHL betting lines have Florida priced at -190to win the series compared to +160 odds for the Bruins. The Panthers have -165 odds to win the series opener with +160 odds to cover at -1.5 on the puck line while Boston is at +140 to win Game 1 outright.
A quick look at the NHL bets shows that Florida winning in five games carries +400 odds with the longest odds having the Bruins at +2000 to sweep the Panthers in four games.
Oddsmakers favor David Pastrnak to score the most goals in the series at +300 and the most points at +275. Sam Reinhart of Florida trails at +400 for the first category.
Florida (+475) trails only Edmonton in the NHL playoff odds with Boston seventh at +900 in the odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
The first two games of the series are in Florida with Game 1 on Monday and Game 2 on Wednesday before the series shifts to Boston for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday.
The only time there would be more than one day of rest between games would come between Games 5 and 6 if the series goes that far.
Game 1
Bruins vs Panthers 
Records: Boston Bruins (51-22-16), Florida Panthers (56-25-6)
Day/Time:
Location: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL
Streaming: ESPN
Bruins Get Right Back to Work
After failing to close things out in Games 5 and 6, Boston needed an overtime goal by David Pastrnak in Game 7 to eliminate the rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston scored just seven goals over the last four games of the series against Toronto. Boston only had seven power-play opportunities in those games and had just one goal with the man advantage in the final four contests.
There were 47 power plays in the 2023 series between the Bruins and the Panthers with Boston having seven more power plays than the Panthers. That could factor into the Bruins vs Panthers betting odds.
The total has gone under in five of Boston’s last six games.
Florida Should Be Well Rested
While Boston played on Saturday (the game even went to overtime), Florida has not played since April 29 thanks to finishing off Tampa Bay in five games. Keep that in mind when looking at the Bruins vs Panthers betting odds.
Florida did lose its first two home games against the Bruins in last year’s playoffs as well as both games during the regular season. However, the Panthers won its final four games of the NHL regular season while Boston stumbled. This give Florida the home-ice advantage for this series.
Twelve of the last 13 games played by Florida in May went under the total.
Bruins vs Panthers Injury Update
Winger Danton Heinen is questionable. Will defenseman Derek Forbort be able to return to the ice in this series now that he has resumed skating at practice?
Florida winger Ryan Lomberg should be available for the series opener. It is still a wait-and-see scenario with fellow forward Sam Bennett.
Bruins vs Panthers Betting Preview
The Panthers could eliminate the Bruins in straight postseasons if Boston does not pick things up in the goal-scoring department. The last time the Bruins got knocked out of the postseason in consecutive years by the same team came in 1994 and 1995 against the New Jersey Devils.
Five of the last seven games between these NHL teams have been decided by one goal. Boston was favored in four of its last six games at Florida. However, that is unlikely to be the case in this series. The Panthers have won eight straight games at home.
Florida is 49-21-2 as a favorite this season while the Bruins are 6-6-4 when listed as the underdog.
Boston has covered 22 of 44 road games while Florida’s 15-29 mark against the puck line at home is among the worst marks in the NHL.
Just 16 of Florida’s 43 home games have gone over the total. Seven of Boston’s last nine road games have finished under the total with the total at 5.5 goals for the series opener.
Four of Florida’s last six NHL games and 10 of the last 15 meetings with Boston landed under the total. However, that has happened just three of the last nine times that the Panthers have been favored.
For NHL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
