Bruins vs. Flames prediction, odds, pick – 12/17/2024
Yesterday at 07:40 AM
No one knows which version of the Boston Bruins will show up on any given night, and that was a reality again on Saturday night when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. They’ll continue their Western Canadian road trip on Tuesday night when they visit the Calgary Flames before finishing it on Thursday night against Calgary’s Alberta rivals. The Flames are on the outside looking in for the Western Conference playoff race after a hot start, and they have plenty of questions to figure out before they can get back into a playoff spot. Calgary also had a surprising victory on Saturday night, which makes this game even more challenging to predict. It’s time to continue our NHL odds series with a Bruins-Flames prediction and pick.
Here are the Bruins-Flames NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Bruins-Flames Odds
Boston Bruins: -1.5 (+200)
Moneyline: -130
Calgary Flames: +1.5 (-245)
Moneyline: +110
Over: 5.5 (-105)
Under: 5.5 (-115)
How To Watch Bruins vs. Flames
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
TV: Sportsnet, NESN
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Bruins Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Bruins and their fans were starting to lose hope and entered their matchup with the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night with low confidence. Boston had been on a hot streak since they promoted coach Joe Sacco to the lead role but then started their West Coast road trip with back-to-back losses to the Winnipeg Jets and Seattle Kraken, which they dropped by a combined score of 13-2.
A third consecutive loss against the Canucks would have been a dagger into the franchise, but they dominated from start to finish and won 5-1. They have been holding on by fewer games played by the Tampa Bay Lightning, but for now, the Bruins are still in a playoff spot and just five points back of the Toronto Maple Leafs for first in the division. It’s a testament to the Bruins that the sky is falling for the team and their fans, but they are still at .500 and in a playoff position.
The Bruins had some roster construction issues, notably on the right side. It has been a problem for Boston for years, as David Pastrnak is their lone right-shot weapon in the forward group, which led to left-wingers having to move to the right side over the past few seasons. However, an early holiday gift fell into their laps when Oliver Wahlstrom went on waivers earlier this week. The Massachusetts-born right-shot forward could have a resurgence on his hometown team.
Why the Flames Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Flames had a rough stretch through the end of November and the start of this month, losing six of seven games. However, they bounced back with a visit to the abysmal Nashville Predators, which they won 4-3. The Lightning brought them back down to earth with an 8-3 loss on Thursday night, but they had an impressive 3-0 shutout victory against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. The Flames hope that Dustin Wolf’s 32-save shutout is a sign that he is getting back on track for his Calder Trophy journey.
Final Bruins-Flames Prediction & Pick
The Flames are riding high after their win on Saturday night, which could make this a massive let-down spot. It’s difficult to predict which version of the Bruins will show up in this game, but it is easy to see that five straight Bruins games have gone over, and four of the past five games have gone over for the Flames.
Final Bruins-Flames Prediction & Pick: Over 5.5 (-105)
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