The Boston Bruins are in Chicago to face the Blackhawks in an Original Six matchup on Wednesday Night Hockey
Boston enters as road favorites despite playing on back-to-back nights
Below are our Bruins vs Blackhawks prediction and best bet for tonight’s TNT broadcast
The Boston Bruins (13-11-3) head to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks (8-15-2) in a Wednesday Night showdown on December 4, 2024. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM Eastern Time at the United Center, with national coverage provided by TNT.
The Bruins enter as road favorites at -150, while the over/under is set at 5.5 goals. Can the B’s pick up two points against a struggling Hawks team?
Here is our Bruins vs Blackhawks prediction for Wednesday Night Hockey.
Bruins vs Blackhawks Prediction
Give me the Under 5.5 goals in what should be a tight-checking Original Six battle. The Bruins boast a strong defensive structure, allowing just 3.04 goals per game (17th in the NHL). They’ve been particularly stingy against teams with poor offensive metrics, going 14-3 to the under when facing opponents averaging 3+ goals against this season.
David Pastrnak leads the Bruins’ attack with 24 points, while Brad Marchand (18 points) and Elias Lindholm (13 points) provide consistent support. However, the Bruins rank just 30th in scoring at 2.48 goals per game.
The Blackhawks counter with an anemic offense of their own, averaging a league-worst 2.44 goals per contest. Chicago has dropped three straight games, scoring a combined six goals in that span. Connor Bedard paces the Hawks with 19 points in his sophomore campaign.
Between the pipes, Jeremy Swayman is expected to start for Boston. He’s been rock-solid lately, posting a .929 save percentage and 1.78 GAA over his last four outings. Chicago will likely counter with Petr Mrazek, who owns a .908 save percentage and 2.79 GAA on the season.
The Bruins’ top defensive pairing of Charlie McAvoy and Nikita Zadorov, who have combined for 7.5 defensive point shares, should be able to contain Chicago’s limited firepower. Boston ranks 17th in goals allowed per game (3.04).
While the Bruins are playing the second leg of a back-to-back after an intense overtime win in Detroit on Tuesday, their solid defense and goaltending advantage give them the edge. However, I don’t see either team filling the net much in this one.
The first squad to light the lamp likely takes the two points, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a scoreless period or two. Bank on a low-scoring affair in Chicago.
Wednesday Hockey Pick:
Under 5.5 Goals (-115)
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Odds as of December 4, 2024 at ESPN Bet. Browse the available NHL betting apps for Wednesday Night Hockey.
BOS-CHI H2H History
The B’s have owned this matchup lately, winning eight of the last 10 meetings dating back to 2019. Boston has also won six of the last seven overall.
Recent Results
| Date | Home Team | Result | Moneyline | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, ’23 | CHI | BOS 3 – 0 | BOS -210 | U 5.5 |
| Oct 11, ’23 | BOS | BOS 3 – 1 | BOS -330 | U 6.5 |
| Mar 14, ’23 | CHI | CHI 6 – 3 | CHI +340 | O 6.0 |
| Nov 19, ’22 | BOS | BOS 6 – 1 | BOS -410 | O 6.0 |
| Mar 15, ’22 | CHI | BOS 2 – 1 (OT) | BOS -170 | U 6.0 |
Digging into the trends, the Bruins have won two straight as very heavy betting favorites in this rivalry, outscoring Chicago 6-1 in those contests. The under has cashed in three of the last five meetings overall.
While the Bruins are playing the second leg of a back-to-back after an intense OT win in Detroit on Tuesday, their commitment to team defense and structure should travel well. Chicago’s power play ranks 10th at 23.5% but will be tested against Boston’s 19th-ranked penalty kill (79.2%).