The Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings will put their winning streaks on the line as these two teams are set to clash for the first time this season tonight — and the first time since December 17, 2019.
The Bruins roll into Hollywood having won four games in a row, with Brad Marchand looking to continue rolling after his three-point performance on Saturday night when the B’s defeated San Jose 3-1 at the Shark Tank.
The Kings, however, have a ton of value as NHL betting home underdogs as they're currently riding a five-game winning streak — which side will our free NHL picks and predictions lean for this Monday, February 28 matchup?
Bruins vs Kings odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Kings opened up as +104 underdogs and they now sit anywhere from +110 to +123 as of Monday morning, with the Bruins going from -105 favorites and bloating up to the -130/-140 range. The total started at 5.5, remaining there at the time of writing.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until puck drop and be sure to check out the full NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Bruins vs Kings predictions
Predictions made on 2/27/2022 at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Bruins vs Kings game info
• Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• Date: Monday, February 28, 2022
• Puck drop: 10:30 p.m. ET
• TV: Rogers Sportsnet, Bally Sports West, NESN
Bruins vs Kings betting preview
Key injuries
Bruins: Curtis Lazar F (Questionable), Jakub Zboril D (Out).
Kings: Andreas Athanasiou F (Questionable), Alexander Edler D (Out), Sean Walker D (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Bruins vs Kings head-to-head record (since 2018)
Bruins: 2-0-1, 12 goals for.
Kings: 1-1-1, 10 goals for.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 4-0 in the Bruins' last four games as a road favorite. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Kings.
Bruins vs Kings picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Moneyline analysis
The Kings' strong defensive play has been their biggest strength during this five-game win streak. During this span, they have only given up a combined 11 goals against. Los Angeles has exceeded their expectations this season as they currently sit in second place in the Pacific Division, only three points back from first place Calgary.
Its goaltending duo of Jonathan Quick and Cal Petersen has been the backbone of this team all season long. The veteran netminder Quick is 14-10-6 with a .913 SV% and a +15.3 Goals Saved Above Expected. In his last start, Friday night against Anaheim, Quick stopped 24 of the 25 in a 4-1 win.
Not only are the Kings' goaltenders playing up to form, but the team has done an incredible job at limiting its opponent's chances. Los Angeles allows the least amount of shots on goal against at just 28.3 per game. That being said, the Bruins are one of the most dynamic offenses in the NHL and they average the fourth-most shots on goal per game, generating 35.3 per contest.
It has become clear that Brad Marchand is the key cog in the machine that is the Boston offense. Marchand missed six games due to a suspension and in that span, the Bruins only scored 12 goals. Since he returned to the lineup, the Bruins are 2-0 and have scored six times, with Marchand tallying a point on 50% of those goals. The Bruins rely heavily on their top line and have lacked depth scoring all season, as outside of Marchand, David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, and Taylor Hall, the Bruins struggle to produce consistently.
Believe it or not, as good as the Bruins can be on the offensive end, Los Angeles has been just as good at generating scoring chances too. The Kings average 35.5 shots on goal per game, which slightly more than the Bruins, and Los Angeles also generates the most high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes, averaging 13.72 each game.
The Kings can easily keep up with the Bruins offensively and they are strong enough on the back end to shut the Bruins down.
Prediction: Kings moneyline (+123)
Over/Under analysis
The Kings are coming off of a dominant performance on home ice against the Islanders on Saturday night. L.A. limited the Islanders to just 25 shots on goal and only 2.1 expected goals in a 5-2 victory. Petersen got the start in that contest and he has started three of the five games during this streak, although Quick is the expected starter tonight.
The Bruins have done a fantastic job on the defensive end as well during their current four-game streak, allowing six goals during this span and giving up limited scoring chances. They are another team that has a strong one-two punch in net, with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman splitting the blue paint for the majority of the season. Swayman started in Bruins' most recent contest in San Jose, where he was not tested much, stopping 15 of the 16 shots he faced.
The youngster is 12-7-3 with a .926 SV% and a +10.9 GSAx and should get the start tonight of the first half of a back-to-back. Ullmark has started 26 games and has gone 17-8-1 this year, posting a .909 SV% and a -3.9 GSAx, and his last start came on Thursday night in Seattle where he faced 27 shots and stopped 25.
Both teams come into this game with hot goaltending and strong defensive play, they are extremely even in both ends and this game should remain very tight through the full sixty minutes — which makes the Under 5.5 look very enticing.
Prediction: Under 5.5 (-115)
Best bet
It has been a little under-the-radar as to how good the Kings have been all season and the fact that this game is on their home ice gives them that extra advantage.
The Kings are 14-11-2 at home and even though Boston has been solid on the road, it has done a ton of traveling in the last couple of days and it is bound to catch up to them.
The Kings are going to put all of their attention on the Bruins' top guns of Marchand, Bergeron, and Pastrnak which will put added pressure on their depth to contribute offensively.
The Kings have been one of the best teams in the league at generating 5-on-5 offense as they are expected to score 2.84 goals per 60 minutes at even strength, which is the fourth-highest number in the league.
It is rare that you will find the Kings as home underdogs this year, so that is where the best value lies.
Pick: Kings moneyline (+123)
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