Welcome to the return of NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are happening and gives our predictions for each one, breaking down head-to-head matchups and other factors that may play in. Today we’re looking at the Calgary Flames vs the Boston Bruins. Be sure to check out more NHL predictions every day there’s hockey this 2024-25 season.
NHL Predictions
Calgary Flames (7-5-1) vs Boston Bruins (6-7-1)
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: ESPN+, Sportsnet
Calgary Continues to Surprise
The Calgary Flames were supposed to be getting a top-ten draft pick by the end of this season. The primary objective of this season was to continue selling off veterans in exchange for young prospects and picks. However, the Flames started the season 5-0-1. Despite a four-game losing streak, the team has bounced back and continues to hold on to a Western Conference Wild Card playoff spot. The Flames have gotten strong goaltending from both their goalies, Daniel Vladar and Dustin Wolf. Heading into the season the inexperienced tandem was expected to be a potential weak spot on this roster, but they have been anything but that. As expected, the Flames have relied on many contributors to drive the offence. They are being led by veterans Jonathan Huberdeau, Anthony Mantha, and Nazem Kadri, as well as youngster Connor Zary. The Flames have also received a surprisingly strong start from defenceman Rasmus Andersson who leads the team with 11 points. This Flames team won’t be able to outskill many teams in the league, but when they stick to their identity and play hard-nosed simple hockey, they’ve proven they can compete on any night.
Boston’s Rollercoaster Season
The Boston Bruins have not felt like the Boston Bruins this season. Over the past decade, the Bruins have asserted themselves as one of the best franchises in the NHL. Every time experts thought the Bruins didn’t have a good enough roster to compete, they’d find themselves near the top of their division and firmly in the playoffs. They had players willing to take discounts to help the team win and very rarely found themselves in the news for any negative reasons. By Bruins standards, this season has been a disaster. Heading into the season they found themselves in a drama-filled negotiation with restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman that resulted in him missing all of training camp before signing right at the start of the season. Since the season has started the Bruins have been inconsistent. The poor play has resulted in some very public moments including benching of their all-star David Pastrnak and coach Jim Montgomery yelling at captain Brad Marchand. This season has been far from smooth, but this Bruins roster has enough talent to compete and they have plenty of time to get back to their normal standards.
NHL Predictions Flames vs Bruins
The Flames are coming off a thrilling overtime win against Montreal on Tuesday night. Calgary has looked good in recent games after they got away from their identity during a four-game losing streak. Expect the Flames to be engaged and bring a solid effort to Boston. The Flames will turn to Daniel Vladar in net and look to keep the game close and capitalize on their opportunities. However, as always, please check for the very latest lineup news to set your fantasy rosters.
The Bruins are coming off a 4-0 shutout loss against their rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Expect the Bruins to come out motivated and likely a little angry. The Bruins will rely on stars David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand to provide offence while their defence and star goalie Jeremy Swayman limit the Flames’ chances. Despite Calgary’s best efforts, we’re expecting the Bruins to find a way to win.
Prediction: Bruins win 3-1
Prop Bets of the Night
BET365 has the over/under on goals at 5.5 and the Bruins as favourites, so we’re staying away from game bets and will focus on player props. David Pastrnak is coming off a benching from his coach so we’re expecting a big game from him. We like taking over 0.5 power play points at +275 and over 1.5 points at +285. On the Flames side, Yegor Sharangovich has been slowly rounding into form. We like taking him over 0.5 points at +185.
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Main Photo Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
