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Game 1 Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins NHL Picks | Preview

Its NHL playoff betting time once again. The Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins is on tap tonight. Both will be trying to pick up a win with the line opening with Boston as a -175 favorite in this matchup. The over/under is set at 5.5, here is the handicapping preview…

2011 NHL Hockey Free Predictions: Canadiens vs Bruins

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NHL Playoff Betting – Montreal vs Boston Game 1 Preview & Pick
Date: Thursday, April 14, 2011
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Broadcast: CBC, Versus
Montreal Canadiens at Boston Bruins Betting Lines from Bodog.com
Money Line: Canadiens +155, Bruins -175
Spread: Bruins -1.5
Over/Under: 5.5
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Let the war begin.

Instead of an over/under on the number of goals scored, how about the number of penalties we’ll see in Game 1 of the Canadiens/Bruins series? These two teams couldn’t hate each other much more. It’ll be interesting to see if any Montreal player takes a run at Zdeno Chara to avenge the giant Slovakian’s controversial hit on Max Pacioretty.

Even though the playoffs are a different story, even though Montreal has a 24-8 all-time series edge, the Canadiens have to be at least a bit nervous based on their last meeting with Boston. The Bruins crushed them 7-0 on March 24. Tim Thomas got the shutout, taking a big step toward his NHL-record save percentage of .938, while the Bruins chased Carey Price from Montreal’s net.

When the Bruins are playing with confidence, they’re as intimidating as any team in the NHL. With Chara and Thomas leading the way and other physical defenders joining the fray, Boston’s defensive game lives up to the “Big Bad Bruins” reputation. But the big misconception is that this team can’t score. The Bruins were fifth in the league in goals and third in shots. Their big, well-rounded forward corps, led by breakout star Milan Lucic, will test Montreal’s big defenders.

I think Montreal will put up a fight in this series – but not until the series shifts home. Playing in their own raucous building, the Canadiens were 24-11-6 this season. But they were 20-19-2 on the road. In the rowdy TD Garden, their tiny group of forwards could get intimidated. I can see Chara, Adam McQuaid and company really throwing their weight around early to make a statement and get the fans involved.

While the Habs/Bruins rivalry has taught us to expect the unexpected, I’m pretty confident that the Bruins win Game 1. They have such a clear physical edge over Montreal that they’d be crazy not to use it. It worked when these two teams met in the playoffs two years ago. Look for Boston to cruise by in the series opener without much trouble.

Canadiens vs Bruins prediction: Bruins 4, Canadiens 1

Money Line:  Bruins -175
Spread: Bruins -1.5
Over/Under: UNDER 5.5

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By Shea Matthews

Shea Matthews the Senior Writer at CP. Lives and breathes sports. He made the transition from athlete to sports journalist at a young age, writing in TV & national papers. Shea applies his knowledge to sports betting + handicapping daily, and shares winning picks with the world.