Immediately after the firing of former head coach Jim Montgomery, the Boston Bruins won three straight road wins. Improved results and performance are common after firing a coach. But since then, things have not been so rosy on the road.
Under interim head coach Joe Sacco, the Bruins have lost five of their last seven road games. They'll play Thursday at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+) against the New York Rangers, who have the second worst points-against percentage (.250) since Nov. 20.
The Bruins go in as favorites, primarily because of the Bluehirts' incompetence. While I believe the Rangers have a chance to win, I don't trust either team enough to bet on them.
Therefore, our prediction for the Bruins vs. Rangers matchup focuses on Artemi Panarin and Brad Marchand.
Prediction for the match Bruins - Rangers.
Odds at the best NHL betting sites; confidence in their abilities on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.
Artemi Panarin: Over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best odds: -115 via Betway | Odds: 53.49%
Remember when the Rangers were one of the Stanley Cup favorites? Things have gone downhill since then, and the Rangers have lost four straight and four in a row at Madison Square Garden.
Take a moment to realize what the bottom looks like. At this point, it seems like the only way to correct the course of this ship is to hand Peter Laviolette a layoff.
Even though things aren't looking good in the Big Apple, there is a player worth paying attention to. Artemi Panarin is the only player on the Blues roster who consistently contributes to the offense.
Although he has just one assist in his last four games, the “Bread Man” has generally been beneficial at Madison Square Garden, where he has tallied at least one assist in eight of his last 11 home games, including five of the previous seven.
He's been excellent against the Bruins lately, totaling seven points in the last three meetings (four goals, three assists). I also like Panarin to put at least four shots on goal, as he is averaging 6.67 per game in the previous three games against Boston.
However, since the Bruins are allowing the fewest shots on the road since Nov. 20 (25.1), I'll refrain from betting. If Panarin makes at least one assist, a $10 bet would yield a profit of $8.70.
Player selections in Bruins vs. Rangers matchup
NHL picks are made Thursday; odds are subject to change.
Brad Marchand prop pick: Over 2.5 shots ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best Odds: -110 via Betway | Estimated Odds: 52.38%
Brad Marchand suffered a slump in shot efficiency during the holiday season, breaking the lower boundary of that total in three straight games from Dec. 21-27.
Either concentration was a problem or he was concerned about the prospect of getting a lump of coal in his stocking (which I can almost guarantee), but Marchand missed.
In the next two games, he hit the Over, realizing 10 throws. And while two of his previous five games he hit the Over, eight of his last 12 have seen him take at least three shots on goal.
I'm also drawn to Marchand's performance in enemy buildings. On the road, the Bruins captain has scored in eight of his last 12 games. A winning bet of $10 will yield a profit of $9.09.
Follow the latest odds! Odds are updated in real time.
When: Thursday, Jan. 2
Puck drop: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden (New York)
How to watch: ESPN+
Favorite: Bruins (-120 via Betway)
