Monday’s NHL action includes the first of four meetings between Atlantic Division rivals the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators.
Both have very similar records, with just four wins this season. Boston finally snapped a six-game losing streak in their most-recent game, while the Senators have won two-straight, meaning confidence should be growing in both camps ahead of this showdown at the Canadian Tire Centre.
The season is early, but the Senators got off to a very slow start, especially as they had strong expectations coming into the campaign. In their first seven games, they started with a 2-4-1 record, with 30 goals scored against them.
Captain Brady Tkachuk has also been injured since their second game of the season, further denting their cause, but recent results suggest they are turning things around.
Ottawa has a two-game winning streak and have looked very good in that short span. This included a 7-1 road win against a very solid Washington Capitals team. This is the type of performance that can really spark a team and they can carry that momentum into this game.
As for Boston, their 4-0-0 start was far-stronger than expected. This team is going through a major changeover and the depth of their roster has taken a hit. A few key players remain, but in this matchup, the Senators appear to have far more threats up and down the lineup.
As mentioned, Boston’s depth has really taken a major hit as the team goes through an overhaul. However, that has allowed other players to play in a higher role than they would be used to. Morgan Geekie would be an example of this, and he has looked great.
The 27-year-old leads the team in goals (6) and is third on the team in points (8). His shooting percentage is incredibly high at 31.6%, but this should regress as the season progresses. Lately, he has been firing the puck in efforts to help his team out of their tough times and that trend can continue.
In his last three games, Geekie is averaging four shots per contest, which has also resulted in four goals. He will need to do this yet again in order to help drive the offense and give the Bruins a chance in this one.
These two teams have been consistently inconsistent so far this season and that could translate to lots of goals in this matchup.
The Senators currently score at the 13th-highest rate of 3.3 goals per game, with the Bruins right behind them at 3.2 goals per contest. These offensive results are passable and show each can score when needed.
On the defensive side, these teams have been much worse. Ottawa has given up the fourth-worst goals against average of 3.56 per game, while the Bruins have given up the seventh-worst at 3.30 per game. Until further proof of defensive strength is seen, we may see similar results here.
In Ottawa’s most-recent game, the offense exploded for seven goals. They may not be able to hit those heights against Boston but an open contest should ensue.
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Boston Bruins
+150 ML
Ottawa Senators
+180 ML
Puck Line
OTT Senators -1.5
Total
O/U 6.0
David Pastrnak (BOS Bruins)
+125
Tim Stutzle (OTT Senators)
+175
Shane Pinto (OTT Senators)
+190
Dylan Cozens (OTT Senators)
+210
Drake Batherson (OTT Senators)
+210
Morgan Geekie (BOS Bruins)
+220
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
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