Bruins vs Panthers Game 2 Prediction, Odds, Trends & Picks

May 6, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a save against the Florida Panthers during the third period in game one of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY SportsThe Bruins and Panthers continue their playoff series on Wednesday nightGame 2 NHL odds favor Florida to even the series 1-1 apieceRead below for Bruins vs Panthers Game 2 prediction, odds, trends & picks

The Eastern Conference Second Round series between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers continues with Game 2 on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 7:30 PM ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, SN, TVAS, and CBC.

Boston leads the best-of-seven series 1-0 after a dominant 5-1 victory in Game 1. The Panthers enter Game 2 as -170 moneyline favorites, with the Bruins at +145 underdogs. The over/under is set at 5.5 goals.

Let’s get into our Game 2 Boston vs Florida prediction, as we analyze the odds and key betting trends.

Bruins vs Panthers Game 2 Odds

Florida is the -170 moneyline favorite in the Wednesday NHL odds, giving Paul Maurice’s club an implied win probability of 63%.

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Bruins Stun Cats in Series Opener

The Bruins took control of the series opener with five unanswered goals after falling behind 1-0 in the second period. Boston’s offense was powered by Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie, and Jake DeBrusk, who combined for two goals and two assists.

Defensemen Mason Lohrei and Brandon Carlo also chipped in with two goals and an assist from the blueline. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman was stellar between the pipes, stopping 38 of 39 shots faced.

Swayman has been the story of the playoffs for Boston, allowing two goals or fewer in each of his seven starts. He boasts a playoff-best .955 save percentage and a 1.42 goals-against average. The Bruins’ defense has also been stout, limiting high-danger chances and shots on goal.

Panthers’ Offense Stumbles in Game 1

The Panthers’ high-powered offense sputtered in Game 1, managing just one goal from Matthew Tkachuk. Florida struggled to generate quality chances against Boston’s structured defense, despite averaging 4.00 goals per game in their first-round series.

Aleksander Barkov recorded an assist, but the Panthers will need more from their top forwards to even the series.

Tonight's final numbers. pic.twitter.com/4LT2lcMBh6

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) May 7, 2024

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had a rough outing, allowing four goals on 28 shots. Bobrovsky has a history of inconsistency in the playoffs, with a career .907 save percentage and 2.97 GAA in 64 postseason games. The Panthers’ defense, which allowed only 2.80 goals per game in the first round, will need to tighten up in front of Bobrovsky to give him a chance.

The Panthers will be without second-line center Sam Bennett for Game 2 and likely Games 3 and 4 due to an upper-body injury sustained in the first round. Bennett’s absence is a significant blow to Florida’s depth and physicality. The team will look to centers Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen to step up in his absence.

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BOS vs FLA Betting Trends

Looking at NHL betting trends, the Bruins have been a strong road team, going 24-14-3 away from TD Garden during the regular season. They are 4-2 on the road in the playoffs, with both losses coming in overtime. Boston has also been a reliable under bet, with the under hitting in six of their eight playoff games.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have been a dominant home team, posting a 32-7-2 record at FLA Live Arena in the regular season. However, they are just 2-2 at home in the playoffs and have struggled to cover the puck line, going 1-3 ATS in those games. The over has hit in three of Florida’s four home playoff games.

In terms of head-to-head matchups, the Bruins won all four regular-season meetings and outscored the Panthers 19-7 in those games. Boston’s defensive structure and depth have given Florida fits, and the Panthers will need to find a way to generate more offense to avoid falling into a 2-0 series hole.

Bruins vs Panthers Game 2 Prediction

When it comes to our Bruins vs Panthers prediction, we’re targeting the game total for Game 2. As mentioned above, Swayman has yet to allow more than two goals in any postseason game this spring. Bobrovsky, on the other hand, should bounce back after a tough outing in Game 1.

The key betting trend to note is that the “under” is 8-0 in the Bruins’ last eight when their opponent scores two goals or less in their previous game. The under has also cashed in four of the Bruins’ last five playoff games.

We’d bet Florida if we were picking a side, as the Bruins are just 1-7 in their last eight after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. However, the line has become too inflated for a team facing the hottest goalie in the playoffs.

BOS vs FLA Game 2 Pick:

Under 5.5 (-120)

 

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