Boston Bruins - Tampa Bay Lightning predictions and free betting tips [14/02/2024]

The Boston Bruins are set to host the Tampa Bay Lightning in a regular-season NHL match-up.

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are headed into this match-up while celebrating a significant point in their captain Brad Marchand's career, as he will play his 1000th NHL game. Marchand, who is ranked second in the team with 25 goals and 48 points, has surpassed this milestone for the 10th time, trailing only behind team leader David Pastrnak in these stats. Despite recent setbacks in two of their last three games, the Bruins hold a three-point lead over the Eastern Conference's frontrunner. They faced setbacks at the start of their seven-game home stretch, suffering losses to Calgary and Washington with a combined score of 1:7, but then triumphed the NHL's leader Vancouver by a 4:0 score.

In their last game, the Bruins suffered a 3:0 loss to the Washington Capitals, a surprise considering the Capitals' lacklustre performance throughout the season. This loss followed a 4:0 defeat at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks. The Bruins' attack, ranked 8th in the league, averages 3.38 goals per game, while their defence, ranked 3rd, allows only 2.57 goals per game. Pastrnak continues to lead the team with 33 goals and 42 assists.

Considering the injury to rookie Matt Poitras, the Bruins have called up Antony Richard from the American Hockey League's Providence to bolster their line-up. In his Bruins debut, Richard made one shot on goal in 10:38 of ice time. The team has experienced defensive issues, allowing just three goals in their previous two matches, emphasising the need for overall improvements.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been demonstrating consistent recovery, securing third place in the Atlantic Division playoffs and snapping a two-game win streak with a 4:2 score against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. This victory was notable as it marked their first post-break win and their ninth in their past dozen games. Brandon Hagel stood out with one goal and two assists, extending his point streak to six games, while Nikita Kucherov continues to exhibit leadership in the NHL with 89 points for the season. The team's defence got a significant boost with the return of Haydn Fleury, who missed 14 games due to a hand injury but made a triumphant return.

Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak also made their returns to the line-up, bolstering the defensive ranks following recent injuries. The Lightning have faced challenges this season, particularly on the road, but displayed confidence by winning nine of their last 12 games, despite a loss to the New York Islanders. The team seeks to progress in a tight playoff race, counting on contributions from stars such as Kucherov, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, and reliable goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy.

With their recent triumph over Columbus and improving to 14-6 in their past 20 games, the Lightning underscore the importance of maintaining their level of play and confidence, banking on significant contributions from Hagel, Kucherov, and Steven Stamkos in their attack.

Head-to-Head

In recent encounters between Boston and Tampa Bay, the results have indicated stiff competition. The most memorable game was on 7th January 2024, when Boston scored a resounding 7:3 victory over Tampa Bay. The previous games between the two teams have shown fluctuating results, including an overtime on 21st November 2023 where Tampa Bay snatched a 5:4 victory, a 2:1 win for Boston on 25th March 2023 and a 3:2 triumph for Tampa on 27th January 2023.

Prediction for Boston Bruins - Tampa Bay Lightning match

The Bruins have had their problems recently and the dry defeat from weak Washington underlines this, but Tampa Bay is recovering its position after all the issues at the start. With Kucherov, the team is gradually establishing itself among the top eight. They have already achieved 14 victories in their recent 20 matches. I anticipate that the Lightning will avoid a loss in the away game and Kucherov will rack up more points.