Few rivalries in today’s NHL carry as much emotion as the one shared by the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.
The pregame narrative: The big news heading into this contest is that Auston Matthews returns to the lineup for Toronto. It’s Morgan Rielly’s points prop, however, where I’m looking for my best bet in this contest. Additionally, I’m picking Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm to find the score sheet for Boston.
Check out our Maple Leafs props vs. Bruins for the game on Jan. 4.
Maple Leafs props vs. Bruins
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Best Bet: Rielly to score 1+ points (+104)
Toronto’s offence receives a significant boost with Matthews returning to the lineup.
The superstar forward is back after missing six games with an undisclosed upper-body injury. His presence is a welcome sight for a Maple Leafs offence that struggled in his absence.
Toronto scored three goals or fewer in five of the six games he missed, totalling 15 goals (2.5 per game) during this stretch.
Having his elite shot back on the power play should be a major boon for Toronto on Saturday.
The Bruins haven’t been very good on the penalty kill this year. They rank a brutal 25th on the PK (75.8%).
Boston’s inability to keep the puck out of its net extends beyond its penalty kill troubles. The Bruins also place an underwhelming 24th in team save percentage (.888), according to Natural Stat Trick.
So where does Rielly come into all this?
Rielly skates alongside Matthews on Toronto’s top power play. Adding a skilled scorer of Matthews’ ilk significantly boosts his chances of reaching the stat sheet.
Additionally, Rielly leads all Maple Leafs blue-liners in ice time per game (21:17). He’ll be out there plenty with Matthews, and I’m willing to wager on him registering a point at plus-money odds.
Key stat: Rielly has four points in two games against the Bruins this season.
Quick picks
Marchand to score 1+ points (-134): This is a nice price to bet on Marchand.
The Bruins winger is point-less in his last three games, but he was scorching hot before that. He had seven goals and 13 points in 10 contests.
A date against the Maple Leafs almost always seems to bring the best out of Marchand. The Boston captain has two points in two outings against Toronto this season, including a game-winning goal.
Marchand skates on the Bruins’ first line and top power play. He’ll be in the offensive mix.
Lindholm to score 1+ points (-104): Lindholm’s tenure with Boston hasn’t gone as planned.
The Bruins centre has seven goals and 20 points in 40 games, largely underperforming on the contract he signed in the offseason.
But prop bettors have to like Lindholm’s chances of producing given his spot in the lineup. He’s skating with Marchand and David Pastrnak on Boston’s first line and top power play.
There are some signs that he’s starting to build chemistry with the Bruins. He has seven points in his last nine games, cashing this wager six times during this stretch.
Picks made at 12:49 p.m. on 01/04/2024.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.