The Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues are all tied up at two games apiece in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Boston missed out on a great chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead in Game 4 but will now return home for Game 5. The series has now turned into a best-of-three scenario, and the Bruins will host two of the final three games.
St. Louis was the worst team in the NHL in early January, but that seems like about 10 seasons ago. The Blues have been mighty impressive in the 2019 Playoffs and are looking for their first ever Stanley Cup Championship. Boston was near the top of the Eastern Conference during the regular season, and they swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Boston Bruins are -160 over the St. Louis Blues in this game.
Bruins Must Find Consistent Offense
If the Boston Bruins are going to win this series, their offense is going to have to show up in the final three games. The Bruins exploded for seven goals in their Game 3 victory, but they got a lot of help from the Blues. Boston managed just 23 shots on net in Game 4 and was held in check. Brad Marchand is leading the Bruins with 21 points during this playoff run, and Patrice Bergeron leads the way with nine goals. Boston will need their leaders to step up in this game.
Tuukka Rask has been the Most Valuable Player so far in these playoffs, but he didn’t have one of his best performances in Game 4. Rask is allowing less than two goals per game in the postseason and has recorded a pair of shutouts. Look for the veteran netminder to bounce back with a great performance in this game.
Binnington the Key For Blues
Speaking of goaltending, the St. Louis Blues are in desperate need of another solid performance from goalie Jordan Binnington. The rookie was actually pulled from Game 3 after giving up five goals but bounced back in a huge way in Game 4. St. Louis is facing one of the top power-play units in the league against the Bruins, and they must limit their penalties to give their young goalie a chance.
Ryan O’Reilly was the hero in Game 4 with a pair of goals, but the Blues have been led by a couple of other players in the playoffs. Jaden Schwartz has tallied 12 goals and 18 points already in the playoffs and always seems to come up clutch for his team. Vladimir Tarasenko has racked up 11 goals so far in the postseason and is always dangerous when he has the puck. Scoring an early goal could take a ton of pressure off of their rookie goaltender.
Bruins Take 3-2 Series Lead
St. Louis is just two wins away from lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup for the first time ever, but they aren’t going to win this game. The Bruins have been tough to beat at home in the playoffs, and they aren’t going to give this game up. Bet the Boston Bruins -160 over the St. Louis Blues in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
