The Boston Bruins (20-15-4) travel to face off against the New York Rangers (16-19-1) on Thursday, January 2nd. This game will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York and televised on ESPN+. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Bruins vs Rangers

The Boston Bruins Are Coming Off A Win

Boston improved to 20-15-4 with a 2-0 road win over the Kraken. The Bruins, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line. The total was set at 6 goals, but the combined score of 2 fell well short.

Both of Boston’s goals came in the first period, with Justin Brazeau scoring at 16:37 and Charlie Coyle adding another at 10:03. The Bruins’ defense held Seattle scoreless, with Jeremy Swayman stopping all 23 shots he faced.

The New York Rangers Are Coming Off A Win

With a 5-2 win over the Islanders, the Rangers improved to 16-19-1. The Rangers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 7 goals went over the pre-game line of 6 goals.

Four different players scored for the Rangers in this one. Artemi Panarin led the way with two goals, including an empty-netter to seal the game.

Boston Offense Breakdown

Boston’s offense got off to a quick start in their 2-0 win over Seattle, with Justin Brazeau netting his 5th goal of the season just 3:23 into the game. Charlie Coyle added his 2nd goal, which came on a power play at the 10:03 mark in the first period.

The Bruins fired 33 shots on goal but were held scoreless after the first period. They recorded 16 giveaways and picked up 4 assists in the game.

Rangers Offense Breakdown

Artemi Panarin led the way for the Rangers with two goals, including his 9th of the season on an empty net. Chris Kreider opened the scoring with his 8th goal, while Vincent Trocheck added his 4th. Adam Edstrom also contributed, netting his 1st goal of the season.

Mika Zibanejad picked up three assists, bringing his total to 8 for the season. The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal, with Panarin scoring his 8th goal on a power play. Kreider’s goal came while the Rangers were shorthanded.

Boston Team Defense

Boston’s defense was perfect in their last game, keeping Seattle off the board in a 2-0 victory. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves with a 100% save percentage, while the Bruins’ defense added 5 takeaways, 15 hits, and 27 blocks.

New York Team Defense

On the defensive side, the Rangers will look to carry momentum from their previous game, where they gave up just two goals to the Islanders. Igor Shesterkin recorded 35 saves with a 94.6% save percentage, and the defense added 10 takeaways, 19 hits, and 18 blocks. The Rangers will aim to improve on a late second-period goal they allowed with just 8 seconds remaining.

Bruins vs Rangers Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Bruins have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 4-6 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 2 goals per game in these contests.
• Across the Rangers last five home games, the team averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 1-4, while going 1-4 straight-up.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Rangers have gone 3-7 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-8.
• Boston has done well both straight up and vs the puck line when favored to win the game, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 puck line in their last three games.

Bruins vs Rangers Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Bruins to secure a victory over the Rangers on the road. With the moneyline currently set at -116, I’m locking in my bet on the Bruins straight-up.

When it comes to my suggested pick for the puck line, I’d advise taking the Rangers to cover. Even in the event of a Bruins victory, this matchup is likely to remain closely contested, and the Rangers should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.