Mar 11, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) celebrates his sport tying aim in opposition to the Florida Panthers with heart Jakub Lauko (94) in the course of the third interval at TD Backyard. Obligatory Credit score: Winslow Townson-Imagn Photographs The second week again at Deadspin panned out a lot nicer than the primary. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless a number of extra free ends to tie up in making an attempt to safe profitable hockey and basketball seasons earlier than it’s on to baseball.
Tonight’s over/below might arguably be thought of the primary occasion in all {of professional} sports activities — nicely, no less than in case you’re a Boston Bruins fan.
That’s as a result of it can contain a showdown between former teammates who occur to share the excellence of being one of many NHL’s prime goalie duos in latest historical past. In addition they created the most effective signature tandem celebrations, too.
Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark made magic whereas they had been goaltenders “1A” and “1B” in Boston — even serving to the group set a league file for many factors by one group in a single season — and this last matchup of the marketing campaign between the Bruins and Senators will see them meet for a second time.
The primary assembly that noticed the pair of netminders lock horns occurred again on Nov. 9, a 3-2 highway victory for Ottawa that additionally produced a triumph for many who guess the below. The opposite two matchups that includes these outdated Northeast Division rivals solely had both one or neither of Swayman and Ullmark.
Our Present Finest Gives
1
Declare your Particular Decide through Code + First Time Deposit as much as $250 in bonus!
T&Cs apply, 18+
2
100% as much as $100
T&Cs apply, 18+
3
100% as much as $500
T&Cs apply, 18+
4
$65 worth with only a $10+ deposit
T&Cs apply, 18+
This rematch between the 2 can be their most necessary head-to-head tilt to this point given every membership’s present positioning within the postseason image. The Senators are within the first wild-card playoff spot proper now by a handful of factors, whereas the Bruins sit two factors out of the second and last slot — however with three different Jap Convention groups forward of them.
Boston additionally simply underwent a major fireplace sale that noticed them lose longtime franchise stalwart Brad Marchand — the final individual left from their 2011 Stanley Cup championship group, by the best way — along with Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle and others.
Even regardless of these impactful subtractions, the Bruins have performed impressed as of late, notching consecutive wins in opposition to the Lightning and Panthers (in opposition to endlessly good friend Marchand in that one) for the reason that commerce deadline. Swayman began these video games and was terrific in each, nevertheless it’s his latest candid phrases that may lead one to imagine his greatest stretch of the season remains to be to return.
Swayman advised ESPN’s Emily Kaplan after his shutout versus Tampa: “We’ll miss these guys a lot. They led the groundwork, Emily, and it is by no means going to be the identical with out them, nevertheless it needs to be as much as us which have been there with them to proceed their legacy and perceive that next-man-up mentality and make them proud.”
With a mindset like that, Swayman is an effective guess to proceed his latest robust play regardless of perhaps not matching the same old lofty expectations he’s set for himself since arriving within the NHL 4 years in the past. I might belief him to persistently carry out nearer to his normal by way of the season’s last few weeks.
Ullmark, in the meantime, is constant his efficient work in his inaugural marketing campaign as a Senator. He won’t be inching towards one other Vezina Trophy like he did two years in the past, however he’s nonetheless having one other strong season in keeping with what he produced throughout his total tenure as a Bruin. He in all probability gained’t disappoint both reverse one in all his greatest pals.
Moreover, Boston shed practically half of its prime seven aim scorers, and contemplating that they’re already second from the underside within the East in objectives per sport (2.71), that may’t bode nicely for the offense within the brief time period. We’ll simply be centered on the offense persevering with its slog in Ottawa.
I’m opting to tack on a half-goal to the overall of 5.5 for what’s an inexpensive worth.
Decide: Beneath 6 (-155, BetMGM)
NHL betting file: 34-27-3, +0.8 unit
Over/Unders: 20-21-3
Goalie props: 14-6
Every guess graded as if it had been to win one unit except in any other case acknowledged.
Observe me @MattZylbert on Twitter/X for potential extra picks.
Our Present Finest Gives
1
Declare your Particular Decide through Code + First Time Deposit as much as $250 in bonus!
T&Cs apply, 18+
2
100% as much as $100
T&Cs apply, 18+
3
100% as much as $500
T&Cs apply, 18+
4
$65 worth with only a $10+ deposit
T&Cs apply, 18+
