The Boston Bruins can't afford any more slipups as they face elimination when the puck drops for Game 5 against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, and we're offering our expert Bruins-Panthers predictions and prop picks based on the best NHL odds.
Coughing up a two-goal lead in the third period of Game 4 felt like a near-fatal blow for the Boston Bruins (47-20-15), who have dug themselves a 3-1 hole entering Game 5 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).
The Panthers are behemoth Game 5 favorites across our best sports betting sites, and they're carrying more momentum than a canoe descending a Niagara-size waterfall. They're the consensus favorites to lift the Holy Grail through our Stanley Cup odds.
Here are our best Bruins vs. Panthers predictions and NHL picks (odds vi a our best NHL betting sites; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Bruins vs. Panthers Game 5 expert picks
- Panthers ML and Over 5.5 goals (+160 via DraftKings) ???
- Third period to be highest-scoring period (+200 via FanDuel) ????
- Matthew Tkachuk Over 3.5 shots (-125 via DraftKings) ????
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Bruins vs. Panthers predictions for Tuesday
Ironically, Sunrise, Fla. may provide the scene where the sun permanently sets on the Bruins' postseason.
Out of sorts and drained of momentum and confidence, the Bruins' third-period implosion in Game 4 reflected the current state of affairs in Beantown. Brad Marchand i s banged up, and his status for Game 5 is uncertain. While the B's desperately need their captain's presence, Marchand might be very limited even if he does suit up.
The Over has hit during six of the last seven Panthers playoff games, while nine of the previous 10 head-to-head playoff tilts between these two fierce rivals have featured at least six goals.
Backing the Panthers solely on the moneyline will provide a pittance of a return due to the wildly short odds from our best sports betting apps. However, joining a Panthers moneyline victory with Over 5.5 goals offers a solid plus-money return at DraftKings.
The +160 odds imply a winning probability of 38.46% and will pay a profit of $16 if your $10 wager hits.
Best odds: +160 via DraftKings
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Like a person awakening from a 12-hour slumber after indulging too much the night before, it usually takes the Bruins' and Panthers' offenses time to snap out of comatose-like states in the opening 40 minutes. In the 11 playoff encounters between the two teams dating back to the first round in 2023, the third period was the highest-scoring one nine times. Only once has another period earned the highest-scoring title (the second frame in Game 1 of the 2022-23 first-round series).
The likelihood of another third-period offensive outburst will increase in Game 5 if the Panthers earn the lead in the latter stages. Cue a flashback of their Game 5 victory in Tampa Bay, when the Lightning conceded four goals in the final 10 minutes, two of which were empty-netters.
Boston will need to be excessively aggressive unless the Bruins enter the third period with the lead, and that should translate to an uptick in scori ng chances and an increased likelihood of an empty-netter or two.
At +200, FanDuel's odds offer an implied probability of 33.33%, paying a profit of $20 on a winning $10 bet.
Best odds: +200 via FanDuel
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Love or loath him, Matthew Tkachuk is an unrelenting force in the postseason. No matter where he plays or which team he faces, Tkachuk's combination of skill, aggressiveness, competitiveness, and an uncanny knack for infuriating the opposition make him one of the most challenging players to face in the playoffs. He's registered at least four shots on goal in seven of nine playoff games and fired 12 combined in Games 3 and 4 in Boston.
He notched six shots on target at home in Game 5 against the Lightning during the previous round, setting the stage for a repeat performance versus the B's. At -125, DraftKings offers the best value. A $10 bet will pay a profit of $8 if it hits. The odds imply a winning probability of 55.56%.
Best odds: -125 via DraftKings
Bruins vs. Panthers Game 5 info & odds
- When: Tuesday, May 14.
- < b>Puck drop: 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Fla.
- How to watch: ESPN, Sportsnet
- Favorite: Panthers (-205 via FanDuel)
Bruins-Panthers predictions made Monday at 1 p.m. ET.
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