Bruins vs Habs Hockey Odds
The Boston Bruins will make the trip north of the border for a date with the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. Boston brings a five-game winning streak to town with them, while Montreal is reeling in the absence of Carey Price, losing three of its last four games.
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Boston Bruins (42-17-5) at Montreal Canadiens (35-24-7)
Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Venue: Bell Centre
City: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
O/U Odds: 5
Money Line: Boston -126, Montreal +116
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The Canadiens have won five in a row in this series, but it’s the Bruins who enter this contest in better form. Montreal has really felt the absence of goaltender Carey Price who has yet to hit the ice in a game setting since backstopping the Canadian national team to a gold medal at the Olympics.
Replacement goaltender Peter Budaj has looked awfully shaky in his past two outings, allowing five goals on 23 shots against the Coyotes, then allowing two goals and getting pulled 1:54 into the second period in the team’s 4-0 loss to the Sharks on Saturday.
Three days off and a visit from the Bruins could be just what the doctor ordered for Budaj, not to mention a return home. Budaj already has a start against the Bruins under his belt this season. In it, he stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced in a Montreal win.
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With that performance, Budaj is 2-0 in his last two appearances against Boston, stopping 48 of 50 shots for a .960 save percentage.
Canadiens newcomer Thomas Vanek will surely be looking to help jumpstart the Montreal offense against a familiar foe. In his first two games with the club, the Canadiens have scored just twice, and Vanek himself has a minus-1 rating with just four shots on goal.
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Vanek has 30 goals and 61 points in 53 career games against Boston, posting a plus-21 rating in those contests.
The Bruins bring a five-game winning streak with them to Quebec, having dominated some lesser opponents, namely a struggling Capitals team, a Lightning team reeling from the trade of their captain, and a pair of wins over the lowly Panthers.
Those wins came after the team dropped each of its first two games since returning from the Olympic break. They’ll look to change their fortunes against Montreal after having lost each of the last five meetings, including getting outscored 6-2 in losing each of the two meetings between the two teams this season.
The change in scenery should do the Canadiens are great service as they really struggled on their four-game road trip.
While they get this game on three days rest, the Bruins hit the ice playing their third game in four days and their fourth game in six days, with a return home on deck for a Thursday night affair.
The Canadiens are 5-2 in their last seven games against Eastern Conference opponents, while the Bruins are 12-25 in their last 37 trips to Montreal.
The play: Montreal +116
