Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
Under new head coach Joe Sacco, the Boston Bruins are looking to extend their winning streak to three games when they face the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks have yet to replicate their strong start from last season and currently sit outside the playoff spots.
Boston Bruins
With Joe Sacco at the helm, the Bruins have played two ultra-conservative matches, securing victories against the Utah Hockey Club (1:0) and Detroit Red Wings (2:1). In this case, the scoreboard accurately reflects the nature of the games. Across these two contests, the teams combined for just 4.46 xG at even strength, while the Bruins’ defence limited opponents to no more than 22 shots. The new-look Boston Bruins will rely on a defence-first approach at least as long as it continues to deliver wins.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks might wish to play more freely against a key rival, but they simply lack the personnel. In the Canucks' injury list are last season's top scorers, Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller. The lethal top line comprises Jake DeBrusk (5+8), Kiefer Sherwood (6+6), and Elias Pettersson, who earns $11,600,000 but seems to have forgotten how to play hockey. Given this context, it’s no surprise that the visitors’ leading scorer is defenceman Quinn Hughes (4+15).
Boston Bruins vs Vancouver Canucks Prediction
In 7 of their last 10 meetings, these teams did not surpass the set total. Unless there’s an unexpected event, we’ll see a low-scoring game focusing on maintaining rather than expanding leads. We're opting for a total under 5.5.
