by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Nov 29, 2022
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Where to watch: BSSUN, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Bruins -165, Lightning +140
FanDuel: Bruins -162, Lightning +134
BetMGM: Bruins -161, Lightning +135
Caesars: Bruins -165, Lightning +140
Season record
Lightning: 13-7-1
Bruins: 18-3-0
What an electric start to the NHL season. So much parity, so many good teams through the first 10-plus games, you have every right to be excited! Of course the Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins (and the New Jersey Devils?) are heading the fun charge here as the top two teams in the league, because of course they are. But never count out the Avalanche, you know they're always going to be hanging around and will be eating worlds once they get everyone healthy. But this is a good time to be playing these hockey games, as well. Look no further than our own Doc's Sports on a 14-7-0 run over the first 30 days of the NHL season. There's also ASA, Inc. posting a 12-5-1 mark through the first month. You know you can trust our champion handicappers to get you across the finish line with your NHL bets. Check out our Best Bets page at bigal.com to see what we're throwing down!
Lightning - Bruins preview, prediction and analysis
Recent results
Lightning: won 6-5 (OT) at Sabres on Monday
Bruins: won 3-2 (OT) vs. Hurricanes on Friday
Can it be lucky #13 for the Boston Bruins? The current record that they hold right now for most consecutive home wins could reach a baker's dozen if the Bruins find a way to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning at home on Tuesday night. And if you are wondering if I am excited to watch this game because of the narratives that are taking place within this division, you are 100% correct. Because Boston already has one win on the three-time Eastern Conference champions. Getting a second win? That's ridiculousness altogether.
Can it be lucky #13 for the Boston Bruins? The current record that they hold right now for most consecutive home wins could reach a baker's dozen if the Bruins find a way to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning at home on Tuesday night. And if you are wondering if I am excited to watch this game because of the narratives that are taking place within this division, you are 100% correct. Because Boston already has one win on the three-time Eastern Conference champions. Getting a second win? That's ridiculousness altogether.
It works for Boston however. We're talking about a team that cannot lose at home under any circumstance and is sitting at the top of the league in terms of points. Boston is a Chuckwagon and continues to be every time they take the ice. Whether it's David Pastrnak scoring 14 goals and registering 32 points, whether it's Brad Marchand who had hip surgery not too long ago and is now posting 17 points in 14 games, no matter if it's goaltender Linus Ullmark who has won 13 of 16 appearances and has a safe percentage that is in the realm of God Mode, the Bruins are finding ways to win these games and it is so fun to watch.
and if there was any other instance of everything coming up Boston right now, it has to do with the fact that Tampa Bay is coming into this game having needed to make a comeback from down in Buffalo and winning 6-5 in overtime against the Buffalo Sabres. And of course, it would be Steven Stamkos scoring the game-winning goal because what else can Steven Stamkos not do with the puck on his stick? You have no answer and I don't expect you to have one. Tampa has gotten off to a slow start, this game was indicative of that.
Tampa Bay just isn't there yet right now. There are some parts of this team that are obviously going to continue to produce the gasoline that fires this wagon on a day-to-day basis. But the record shows that they are not there yet, and of course, nothing really matters until they get to the playoffs and run through everybody in their bath. That's going to take some time. What isn't going to take time is just the sheer dominance that Boston is putting together. It seems like every time Boston has a tough game against a really good opponent, their game steps up to another level, and not only that, their game is about as flawless and efficient under new coach Jim Montgomery as it ever was under Bruce Cassidy.
I get it. It's going to take time especially when they get to the playoffs, that Boston is going to need to show that it can perform in the playoffs. This is a team that did end up losing in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes, a series very much they should have won because of Carolinas goaltending issues. We might cross that bridge later on when we're talking about Vegas but that being said, Boston continues to produce Chuck wagon material every time it touches the ice and it is a thrill to see.
No matter if it's just a random game against some mediocre team or a top-tier game against Carolina or anyone else, Boston is found different ways to win. Even if you look at the first meeting against Tampa from a week ago, they found a way to outscore them early and put up five goals in Tampa. This is a team that is not scared of the moment and you can easily tell that things are gonna go their way when they get a moment. Tampa, I still don't believe is there yet and it might take a few more games for them to get there but the way Boston is producing right now and the way Boston is producing at home, it wouldn't shock me if Tampa found a way to win this game period but I'm not going that route.
Prediction
Tampa is good, but right now it is the time of Boston and Boston has all the momentum and all the ridiculousness right now going their way. And I'm here for it. Bruins win 4-3
Betting trends
Lightning are 56-103 on the road in November since 1996.
Bruins are 9-0 off an under this season.
The over is 18-9 when the Lightning win 5 or 6 of their last 7 the last 2 seasons.
Projected lines
Lightning:
Brandon Hagel -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Steven Stamkos -- Nicholas Paul -- Alex Killorn
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Corey Perry
Cole Koepke -- Ross Colton -- Pat Maroon
Victor Hedman -- Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev -- Nick Perbix
Ian Cole -- Zach Bogosian
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Brandon Hagel -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Steven Stamkos -- Nicholas Paul -- Alex Killorn
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Corey Perry
Cole Koepke -- Ross Colton -- Pat Maroon
Victor Hedman -- Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev -- Nick Perbix
Ian Cole -- Zach Bogosian
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Bruins:
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Jake DeBrusk
Pavel Zacha -- David Krejci -- David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall -- Charlie Coyle -- Craig Smith
Nick Foligno -- Tomas Nosek -- A.J. Greer
Matt Grzelcyk -- Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Carlo
Jakub Zboril -- Connor Clifton
Linus Ullmark
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Jake DeBrusk
Pavel Zacha -- David Krejci -- David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall -- Charlie Coyle -- Craig Smith
Nick Foligno -- Tomas Nosek -- A.J. Greer
Matt Grzelcyk -- Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Carlo
Jakub Zboril -- Connor Clifton
Linus Ullmark
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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.
