Mark Lammey
The weekend saw the first playoff spot clinched with the Boston Bruins. That signals the true home stretch of the season, and following a light 3-game Monday slate the week truly revs up with tonight’s 12-game schedule. With certain teams having different outlooks on the remainder of the season, it’s important to keep an eye on how they’re handling skating time and line combinations. Our favorite 2 spots tonight target 1 very familiar name and 2 guys in black and yellow, so let’s check them out.
Along with our player props, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for today’s action.
Brad Marchand Over 0.5 assists (+100)
We mentioned the Bruins already, and not much hasn’t been said about them this season. Despite a recent loss, they are still on pace to set the NHL record for wins and tie the record for points. They should take a step in the right direction against a bad Chicago Blackhawks team. You may recognize this play from Boston’s most recent game, so call us stubborn but I’m trusting Marchand to bounce back. In the Bruins’ weekend games Patrice Bergeron scored a goal and David Pastrnak had his 2-point performance, so this should complete the trio.
I’m expecting plenty of goals for Boston tonight given how poorly Chicago has played, which means a lot of opportunities for Marchand to cash this play. It certainly helps skating alongside Pastrnak, whose 307 shots tops the NHL and 46 goals are the 2nd most. Therefore it’s no surprise that 35 of Marchand’s 55 points are assists. He has also recorded at least an assist in 3 straight games against the ‘Hawks, including a 3-assist performance against them earlier this season. With that type of track record, I will back the seasoned veteran to contribute to a big night for the B’s.
Be sure to check out our Boston Bruins vs Chicago Blackhawks prediction
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Bryan Rust Over 0.5 points (-125)
Now it’s time for our other skater in black and yellow. No team can be compared to the Bruins this season, but the Pittsburgh Penguins are on a heater right now. As they continue trying to secure their playoff spot, the Pens have gone 7-1-1 in their last 9 games. Now they get to host a bad Montreal Canadiens team that is also on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. The Habs just faced the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, so this is not a friendly scheduling spot for them. First, I expect a strong night from Jake Guentzel; however, his prices are always inflated at home.
Instead, we’re getting much better value with Rust. Admittedly, he hasn’t had a strong March — but the fact remains that he is on the top line with Guentzel and Sidney Crosby. In fact, Crosby just became the 7th skater in NHL history with at least 80 points in 12 seasons. When Pittsburgh faced Montreal for the first time this season, it was Rust who had a 2-point performance. One reason we’re provided with such great value is the fact that Rust is on the 2nd powerplay unit. However, the Canadiens are weak enough of a team where I’m confident the top line can get it done at even strength.
Be sure to check out our Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins prediction
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