by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Jan 28, 2023
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Venue: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise, FL
Where to watch: BSFLX, NHLN, NESN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Bruins -155, Panthers +135
FanDuel: Bruins -155, Panthers +135
BetMGM: Bruins -155, Panthers +135
Caesars: Bruins -155, Panthers +135
Season record
Bruins: 38-6-4
Panthers: 23-22-6
We’ve hit the halfway mark in the NHL season. Yes, you read that right. We’re really hit that halfway mark that quickly. If you blinked, you probably missed a lot of good things happen in the hockey world. And with football about to be out of the way, look for our champion handicappers to get back on the rink. Oskeim Sports is on a 13-5-0 run in the NHL over the last 30 days, as is Will Rogers. Sean Murphy has also cashed in with a 16-10-0 run in the last month. Make sure you’re following our champion handicappers at bigal.com to get on this winning action!
Bruins - Panthers preview, prediction and analysis
The Boston Bruins will be playing the Florida Panthers on Saturday, January 28 in Florida.
The Boston Bruins lost against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, January 26 at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida with a score of 3-2. The Boston Bruins currently rank 1st in the Atlantic Division.
Brad Marchand and Pavel Zacha scored, and Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Bruins (38-6-4), who had won seven in a row on the road.
"I thought [Ullmark] did great," Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. "I thought he made a lot of saves look easy. He was in such good position. Vasilevskiy played great too. He made a lot of high-quality saves. It was a playoff-type game."
Marchand tied it 1-1 at 16:58 of the second period with a wrist shot from the left circle to the far post off a pass by Connor Clifton.
"I just got on [the ice], so they were tired," Clifton said. "I heard 'March' scream for it, so get him the puck. It was back and forth all night. Obviously they're a really good team, and I'm sure we'll see them down the line."
Zacha tied it 2-2 at 2:24 from the right circle off a pass by David Krejci.
"The shift before [that] we got scored on, so I wanted to get it back very badly," Krejci said. "It was nice to get it back. We were trying to create some chances."
Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy appeared to injure his shoulder after crashing into the boards early in the third period, but he returned a few shifts later and Montgomery said he's fine.
"He's a warrior, glad he came back," Montgomery said. "I think that's the biggest positive of the game. He went hard into those boards and he's healthy, so that's good."
The Boston Bruins have won eight of their last 10 games.
The Florida Panthers lost against the Pittsburgh Penguins last Tuesday, January 24 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a score of 7-6 in overtime. The Florida Panthers currently rank 5th in the Atlantic Division.
Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, Aaron Ekblad had a goal and two assists, and Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Alex Lyon made 42 saves after allowing five goals on 25 shots in a 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday.
"You want it so bad for them because they have nothing left and they gave what they have to give," Florida coach Paul Maurice said. "Each guy had a piece of the game where he tried to make an impact. It's a tough way to lose a hockey game. And it's over."
Reinhart put the Panthers ahead 1-0 at 6:42 of the first period, using his skate to collect a pass from Ekblad for a wrist shot near the left post.
Tkachuk made it 2-0 on the power play at 8:08, tapping in a loose puck off a shot from Brandon Montour.
Rickard Rakell cut it to 2-1 at 10:56, chipping in a shot from Letang deflected by Malkin.
Heinen tied it 2-2 at 11:56 after tapping in a rebound off a one-timer from Ryan Poehling to end his 34-game goal drought.
Verhaeghe tied it 3-3 at 19:19, using one hand to poke in a pass from Ekblad on a breakaway after DeSmith left the crease.
Ekblad put Florida back in front 4-3 at 10:34 of the second period with a short-handed goal on a snap shot from the right circle.
Colin White gave Florida a 5-4 lead at 4:10 of the third period, going backhand to forehand around DeSmith's left pad.
The Florida Panthers have won five of their last 10 games as of January 26.
Prediction
The Bruins were bound to lose to Tampa at some point. Now they get the Panthers in another win-or-go-home mindset. Bruins 5, Panthers 2
The Boston Bruins lost against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, January 26 at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida with a score of 3-2. The Boston Bruins currently rank 1st in the Atlantic Division.
Brad Marchand and Pavel Zacha scored, and Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Bruins (38-6-4), who had won seven in a row on the road.
"I thought [Ullmark] did great," Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. "I thought he made a lot of saves look easy. He was in such good position. Vasilevskiy played great too. He made a lot of high-quality saves. It was a playoff-type game."
Marchand tied it 1-1 at 16:58 of the second period with a wrist shot from the left circle to the far post off a pass by Connor Clifton.
"I just got on [the ice], so they were tired," Clifton said. "I heard 'March' scream for it, so get him the puck. It was back and forth all night. Obviously they're a really good team, and I'm sure we'll see them down the line."
Zacha tied it 2-2 at 2:24 from the right circle off a pass by David Krejci.
"The shift before [that] we got scored on, so I wanted to get it back very badly," Krejci said. "It was nice to get it back. We were trying to create some chances."
Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy appeared to injure his shoulder after crashing into the boards early in the third period, but he returned a few shifts later and Montgomery said he's fine.
"He's a warrior, glad he came back," Montgomery said. "I think that's the biggest positive of the game. He went hard into those boards and he's healthy, so that's good."
The Boston Bruins have won eight of their last 10 games.
The Florida Panthers lost against the Pittsburgh Penguins last Tuesday, January 24 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a score of 7-6 in overtime. The Florida Panthers currently rank 5th in the Atlantic Division.
Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, Aaron Ekblad had a goal and two assists, and Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Alex Lyon made 42 saves after allowing five goals on 25 shots in a 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday.
"You want it so bad for them because they have nothing left and they gave what they have to give," Florida coach Paul Maurice said. "Each guy had a piece of the game where he tried to make an impact. It's a tough way to lose a hockey game. And it's over."
Reinhart put the Panthers ahead 1-0 at 6:42 of the first period, using his skate to collect a pass from Ekblad for a wrist shot near the left post.
Tkachuk made it 2-0 on the power play at 8:08, tapping in a loose puck off a shot from Brandon Montour.
Rickard Rakell cut it to 2-1 at 10:56, chipping in a shot from Letang deflected by Malkin.
Heinen tied it 2-2 at 11:56 after tapping in a rebound off a one-timer from Ryan Poehling to end his 34-game goal drought.
Verhaeghe tied it 3-3 at 19:19, using one hand to poke in a pass from Ekblad on a breakaway after DeSmith left the crease.
Ekblad put Florida back in front 4-3 at 10:34 of the second period with a short-handed goal on a snap shot from the right circle.
Colin White gave Florida a 5-4 lead at 4:10 of the third period, going backhand to forehand around DeSmith's left pad.
The Florida Panthers have won five of their last 10 games as of January 26.
Prediction
The Bruins were bound to lose to Tampa at some point. Now they get the Panthers in another win-or-go-home mindset. Bruins 5, Panthers 2
Betting trends
Home team has won the last six meetings.
Bruins are 36-15 in the last 51 meetings.
Favorite has won the last 36 meetings out of 51.
Projected lines
Bruins:
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Taylor Hall
Pavel Zacha -- David Krejci -- David Pastrnak
Trent Frederic -- Charlie Coyle -- Craig Smith
Nick Foligno -- Joona Koppanen -- A.J. Greer
Matt Grzelcyk -- Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort -- Connor Clifton
Linus Ullmark
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Taylor Hall
Pavel Zacha -- David Krejci -- David Pastrnak
Trent Frederic -- Charlie Coyle -- Craig Smith
Nick Foligno -- Joona Koppanen -- A.J. Greer
Matt Grzelcyk -- Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort -- Connor Clifton
Linus Ullmark
Panthers:
Sam Reinhart -- Aleksander Barkov -- Anton Lundell
Matthew Tkachuk -- Sam Bennett -- Carter Verhaeghe
Nick Cousins -- Colin White -- Eetu Luostarinen
Ryan Lomberg -- Eric Staal -- Givani Smith
Gustav Forsling -- Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal -- Brandon Montour
Josh Mahura -- Radko Gudas
Mack Guzda
Sam Reinhart -- Aleksander Barkov -- Anton Lundell
Matthew Tkachuk -- Sam Bennett -- Carter Verhaeghe
Nick Cousins -- Colin White -- Eetu Luostarinen
Ryan Lomberg -- Eric Staal -- Givani Smith
Gustav Forsling -- Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal -- Brandon Montour
Josh Mahura -- Radko Gudas
Mack Guzda
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
