Anthony Cirelli has had a great offensive season, but he’s been quiet lately, failing to hit the scoresheet in four straight games.
My Bruins vs. Lightning predictions see him ending that streak against a bad team that punted on the season at the deadline.
Let’s break things down further with my NHL picks for March 8.
Bruins vs Lightning prediction
My best bet
Anthony Cirelli Over 0.5 points (+110 at bet365)
My analysis
The Boston Bruins have not defended well this season, especially on the road. They’ve conceded 3.70 goals per game away from home, arguably the biggest reason they have 10 wins through 30 road games.
Unfortunately for the Bruins, things will not get any better down the stretch. Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy are still sidelined with injuries while Brandon Carlo, Brad Marchand, and Charlie Coyle — among others — were shipped out of town on deadline day.
That means they’ll be without their three best defensemen (by far), all of whom play a lot of heavy minutes against Top 6 players. Spending time in the offensive zone will also be more difficult without the likes of Marchand and Coyle.
The Bruins have fully embraced the retool, and their roster's current state reflects that. They’re likely heading for a tough day against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Bolts have won nine of the last 10 games and scored a whopping 43 goals along the way. They aren’t just beating teams — they’re running them out of the rink.
That should be the case again today, so I like the idea of buying low on Anthony Cirelli to factor in.
As mentioned, the Bruins have bled goals on the road and Cirelli has done his best work on home soil. He’s picked up a point in 55% of games in Tampa Bay, 58% of home games following a rest day, and 68% of home wins.
Despite losing 6-2, Cirelli hit the scoresheet at home against Boston back in January. With the winner likely to be flipped, he should have no problem doing so again.
Bruins vs Lightning same-game parlay (SGP)
Anthony Cirelli Over 0.5 points
Brandon Hagel Over 0.5 points
Lightning 3-way moneyline
Brandon Hagel ranks sixth in the league in points during 5-on-5 play, behind only Leon Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, and Jason Robertson. He is a force.
Who does he play with at 5-on-5? Anthony Cirelli, of course. Cirelli doesn’t get much power play time, so most of his production comes at 5-on-5.
If Cirelli is to record a point, it’s likely coming in that game state, giving Hagel a great chance of coming along for the ride.
Tampa Bay is firing on all cylinders and is now facing a bare bones Boston team giving up on the season. This is a spot where it should dominate the run of play and take care of business inside of 60 minutes.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Bruins vs Lightning odds
Bruins vs Lightning live odds
Bruins vs Lightning opening odds
- Puck line: Boston +206 | Tampa Bay -239
- Moneyline: Boston +1.5 (-127) | Tampa Bay -1.5 (+111)
- Over/Under: Over 6 | Under 6
Bruins vs Lightning trend
The Tampa Bay Lightning have covered the puck line in 49 of their last 85 games (+21.12 Units / 18% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Lightning.
How to watch Bruins vs Lightning
| Location | Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, FL |
| Date | Saturday, 3-8-2025 |
| Puck drop | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
Bruins vs Lightning latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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