NHL betting preview (Nov. 12): Bruins vs. Blues odds

Credit: Apr 24, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand (63) celebrates his first goal of game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with Boston Bruins forward Danton Heinen (43) during the third period of game three of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Sharp money seems to favor the Boston Bruins to rebound from their 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators as they head to St. Louis to face the Blues, who are coming off an 8-1 defeat to the Washington Capitals on home ice.

Bruins vs. Blues Odds

Boston Bruins Moneyline: -165
St. Louis Blues Moneyline: +140
Puck Line: Bruins -1.5 (+150), Blues +1.5 (-185)
Game Total: 5.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Game odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.

Handicapping the Bruins (7-9 SU, 4-12 ATS, 8-8 O/U)

Boston is 5-4 at home this season but just 2-6 on the road, with recent losses to strong teams like Carolina (8-2), Nashville (4-0), and Toronto (4-0). Offensively, the Bruins have struggled, ranking 26th in five-on-five scoring and 31st on the power play. St. Louis is only slightly worse on the power play but has been a bit better at five-on-five scoring.

Defensively, Boston ranks seventh in goals allowed at five-on-five, though it’s among the bottom-10 teams on the penalty kill. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman hasn’t found his rhythm yet, and with Joonas Korpisalo earning three wins in five starts, there’s a chance that Korpisalo will start two of the next four games.

The Bruins will play three inter-conference games in a row, including a home-and-home against St. Louis, before hosting Korpisalo’s former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. Boston is 6-4 straight-up versus the Blues over the last 10 meetings, including 4-1 in the last five meetings.

Handicapping the Blues (7-8 SU, 9-6 ATS, 6-6-3 O/U)

St. Louis is one of those Jekyll-and-Hyde teams, where you never know what you’re going to get. Lately, however, it’s been more bad than good. The Blues managed to pick up five wins in their first eight games, but they’ve gone 2-5 straight-up since then, with injuries contributing to the slide.

The most notable player that is out of the lineup is forward Robert Thomas, who scored 86 points last season. Thomas hasn’t played since Oct. 22 and it’s been a big blow for a team that has scored two or fewer goals in more than half of their games so far. On defense, the Blues are missing both Nick Leddy and Philip Broberg. Broberg has missed the last three games, while Leddy only played the first four games.

The Blues rank among the bottom-10 teams in shots against and expected goals against, and while they do sometimes get good goaltending out of Jordan Binnington, the veteran netminder allowed eight goals on 27 shots in his last outing.

Best Bets for Bruins vs. Blues

Brad Marchand Anytime Goal (+240) at Sports Interaction

Bruins captain Brad Marchand didn’t score in his first eight games, but he’s scored five goals in his last eight games and Sports Interaction is currently offering the best odds on No. 63 to light the lamp. The betting market is expecting a low-scoring game based on the game total, but Marchand’s role as a play driver makes him a worthwhile bet to score a goal at +240 odds.

Brad Marchand Over 2.5 Shots On Goal (-130) at Sports Interaction

Marchand has registered three or more shots on goal in 10 out of 16 games this season. However, much of that is due to his current play, as he’s registered three-plus shots in eight of his last 10 games. Marchand has also gone over his shots on goal prop in four consecutive road games and Tuesday’s matchup against the Blues is a good opportunity for the Bruins to bounce back after a 16-shot performance versus the Senators.

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