Tip: Eastern Conference Showdown: Boston Bruins Face Off Against Florida Panthers in a High-Stakes Battle

Ahead of the season, Boston Bruins lost two key players in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, and many, including myself, expected a bigger setback in terms of results. However, Boston has shown that they are contenders for the Stanley Cup again this year. Boston, currently leading the Eastern Conference, faces the red-hot Florida Panthers, who share second place in the Conference with New York Rangers – a real summit meeting indeed!

Star Defenseman Returns but No Aleksander Barkov?

During the season, Florida Panthers have had to do without two of their star defensemen. Aaron Ekblad and last year's giant, Brandon Montour, are both back in the team after two games. Their return is a significant boost to a team that, despite the absence of these stars, has been performing excellently. In the season before last, the Florida Panthers were almost unbeatable at home, but last season saw a significant decline. However, this season feels much like 2021/22 when they lost only 7 home games at the BB&T Center throughout the season.

One of this season's giants has been Aleksander Barkov. The Finn is only matched by Quinn Hughes in the +/- statistic this season. In short, the Panthers score many goals and concede few when he is on the ice. He is listed as day-to-day after a knee tackle he suffered in the game against Anaheim Ducks. With a bit of luck, he will play tonight!

The Well-Oiled Machine Boston Bruins

It is undoubtedly impressive how the Bruins have continued in a similar manner to last season's regular series, despite losing key players this season. After 17 rounds, the Bruins not only top the Eastern Conference but also have the most points in the entire league. A big reason is two top goalkeepers, one of the league's best backup setups, and David Pastrnak leading the way offensively. The 27-year-old Czech has managed to score 12 goals and 17 assists in 17 games, incredibly impressive.

Above all, Boston is a very complete team that seems to lack nothing in their gameplay, much like last season. However, the match they face tonight is one of the toughest in the league, and the only team aspect where I clearly think they have an advantage over Florida is in goalkeeping. Both Swayman and Ullmark have performed really well and are among the top for lowest GAA in the league. Sergei Bobrovsky, who can be very uneven at his worst, has started the season strong, instilling confidence, as he is a top goalkeeper in the NHL at his best.

Betting Tips and Conclusion

It's two of the league's best teams clashing in this summit meeting. However, Florida has the home-ice advantage, and they rarely lose games at home in Florida. Add to that the recent return of Montour and Ekblad, making them one of the league's most complete teams that Boston must defeat. Florida also tops xGF% including all forms of play, another indication of how good the team has been. Boston will put up resistance, but the odds on the home team are too tempting for me not to pick that side!

Florida Panthers moneyline -100 on BetMGM!