Last spring in the eyes of many National Hockey League experts and gamblers it was supposed to be the Boston Bruins instead of the Washington Capitals who were supposed to hoist the Stanley Cup. But Boston proved to be no match in the second round for the Tampa Bay Lighting and went out in disappointing fashion. Perhaps the B’s were out of gas after nearly blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. But after the letdown end to the playoffs the Bruins are again expected to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Ironically enough the Washington Capitals are considered by many to be a one hit wonder and a team that may struggle to repeat after their surprise Stanley Cup title last year.
Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals
Date and Time: Wednesday, October 3, 2018, 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
NHL Odds at Bookmaker.eu: Check Back Later
Bruins vs. Capitals TV Coverage: NBCSN
2018-19 Prospects of Bruins and Capitals
Boston is a slightly higher favorite than Washington to win the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are considered to be the deeper team and something of a motivated beaten favorite from last year. The Capitals were not a top tier Stanley Cup favorite last spring. In fact, more than a few folks consider them an accidental champion. Now with a new head coach the Caps are still considered good but not quite elite.
Barry Trotz Off to the Island
Nobody played a bigger role in the Capitals Stanley Cup championship than head coach Barry Trotz. Trotz took over a team that lacked discipline and was often lazy and unorganized on their back end. He immediately earned a full commitment by the Caps to play a full 200-foot game. The payoff took longer than expected but in his fourth season Trotz led the Caps to their first ever Stanley Cup championship. Top Washington assistant Todd Reirden takes over behind the bench and accepts the immense challenge in doing so. Trotz will be a tough act to follow.
Boston Brings Depth and Balance
The Bruins were one of the most complete teams in the NHL last year with rankings of sixth for goal scoring, fourth for the power play, fourth for goals against and third for penalty killing. A big part of their success is head coach Bruce Cassidy, who unleashed the Bruins offensive skill without sacrificing the back end. Forwards Brad Marchand (34 goals), David Pastrnak (35 goals) and Patrice Bergeron (30 goals) bring plenty of firepower. The Bruins also benefitted from plenty of secondary scoring with among the deepest lineups in the game.
The Great Eight is Free
Alex Ovechkin is finally free of the “but he has never won the Stanley Cup” sneers that have plagued him throughout his career. Ovechkin impressed everyone with his full commitment to a complete game and hustle on the back check. Best of all he sacrificed no offensive productivity in the process. Last year The Great Eight tallied 49 goals and now has lit the lamp 607 times for his career.
Between the Pipes
After a sluggish regular season that briefly put him on the bench Washington goaltender Braden Holtby ended up with a .922 save percentage in the playoffs with two shutouts.
Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask had a subpar playoff with a .903 save percentage that caused justifiable criticism. Especially after a regular season save percentage of .917.
Head to Head
Washington has owned the cashier’s cage in this head to head series with 12 straight payouts over the Bruins. Four of the last six between these teams went over the total.
Free ATS Pick
This should be a big night for the Caps and their fans with the Stanley Cup banner being raised. Add in their dominance of Boston and the call goes to Washington.
Bruins vs. Capitals pick:Washington Capitals
Bruins vs. Capitals Score Prediction: Capitals 3, Bruins 1
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
