Panthers vs. Bruins Odds
| Panthers Odds | -125 |
| Bruins Odds | +105 |
| Over / Under | 5.5 +100 / -120 |
Here's everything you need to know about the Panthers vs. Bruins odds for Game 3 on Friday, May 10 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
We knew the Boston Bruins weren't going down without a fight, but we didn't expect them to illustrate it so literally. The B's were humbled on Wednesday, dropping a decisive 6-1 Game 2 to the top-ranked Florida Panthers.
When all hope was lost in the contest, the Bruins decided to take matters into their own hands, sorting things out the old-fashioned way.
Although they abandon their Game 2 aspirations late in the contest, they haven't given up hope in advancing to the Eastern Conference Final.
As we saw last time out, the B's have plenty of fight left in them.
Florida Panthers
Florida annihilated the Bruins on Wednesday. When the dust settled on the one-sided battle, the Panthers had posted a mind-numbing 70.5% expected goals-for rating, leading in every analytics category.
Still, the Atlantic Division winners were trailing after 20, needing one of their best efforts of the postseason in the second period before Boston became completely unglued in the third.
With their recent ineffective stretch also holding them back, the Panthers are hardly deserving of being road chalk in Game 3.
Prior to Game 2, Florida had been outplayed in three of its previous four outings. As noted, it took a Paul Maurice pep talk at the first intermission to shake the Panthers out of their rut.
But even with the improved effort, there were some concerning metrics that we can't look past.
Specifically, the Panthers are letting opponents walk all over them in their own end. Opponents have exceeded 11 high-danger chances in two of Florida's last three.
Likewise, the Panthers have given up more than 26 scoring opportunities in two of their past four. Those defensive inefficiencies will be exposed as they head into hostile territory on Friday.
Moreover, I'm not a believer in Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes. Granted, he's looked more effective over the last two playoff trips, but Bobrovsky has an unproven track record in the postseason.
Further, the B's have had his number all season, scoring 18 goals on 144 shots in six games for an 87.5% save percentage. Predictably, Bobrovsky only has one win across those six starts.
Poor defending with ineffective goaltending is not the right combination to take on the road in the playoffs.
Boston Bruins
Boston doesn't have much time to lick its wounds, given it has to travel back home on one day's rest to get ready for Friday's encounter. But given the Bruins' solid underlying metrics, we expect them to rebound with a much better effort at TD Garden.
Even with its awful effort in Game 2, Boston's metrics are still better than most. The Bruins have put together a 50.4% expected goals-for rating in nine playoff games, bumping that to 54.3% over their last four.
Over that modest stretch, the B's have been out-chanced just once in quality opportunities, while putting together a 56.3% high-danger chance rating. Pointing the lens back even further shows that Boston has only been out-chanced once since Game 2 of the opening round.
The Bruins also have flexibility between the pipes, which they could use to their advantage ahead of Friday's tilt. Head coach Jim Montgomery alternated between Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark throughout the regular season before Swayman nabbed the starter's crease early in the playoffs.
After Swayman's lackluster performance on Wednesday, the Bruins could turn to Ullmark to turn the tide against the Panthers.
Without knowing who to prepare for, Florida's skaters will have to adapt on the fly in Game 3.
Sustained offensive production and a rebound effort from Swayman or Ullmark would go a long way towards helping the B's secure a much-needed win on Friday.
Panthers vs. Bruins
Betting Pick & Prediction
Florida's decisive win has tilted the betting odds in its favor, but it isn't worth the going rate against the Bruins. Boston has been one of the top producing offensive teams this postseason, complementing that production with elite goaltending.
On the other bench, the Panthers have been outplayed frequently over their recent sample and don't have the production metrics to validate their current form.
We're not passing up plus-money on the home side in this one. Boston is better than the betting odds imply and should be priced on the other side of a pick'em.
That's the benchmark Bruins bettors shouldn't cross in Game 3.
Pick: Bruins +105 (bet365)
