- What: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins
- Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2024
- Location: TD Garden in Boston, MA
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TNT, Max, NESN
Two of the top teams in the NHL’s Eastern Conference meet tonight at TD Garden when the Carolina Hurricanes face the Boston Bruins. The Bruins are in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 29-8-9 record. As for the Hurricanes, they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 2024 season mark of 25-15-5. Boston finished the 2023 season with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Carolina has had the best record in the Metropolitan Divison for the past two seasons.
The Bruins lost some key players in the offseason. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired, while Taylor Hall and Dmitry Orlov were traded. While those losses hurt, the veteran team still has David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Hampus Lindholm, and Linus Ullmark. To take the sting off some of those losses, the team added James van Riemsdyk and Kevin Shattenkirk. Despite that, the team is having an excellent 2024 season.
There were rumblings of concern after the Hurricanes had a slow start to the 2024 NHL season, and while things have improved somewhat for the team, they have struggled with consistency this year. However, the team is playing some of its best hockey as of late. Carolina had a season-high five-game winning streak heading into 2024, and they are currently 7-2-1 in their past 10 outings.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for tonight’s matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Boston Bruins, check out our betting picks to win the 2024 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins betting picks – January 24, 2024
Puck Line | Money Line | Total | |
Carolina Hurricanes | +1.5 (-215) | +120 | Ov 6 (+105) |
Boston Bruins | -1.5 (+185) | -135 | Un 6 (-121) |
Carolina Hurricanes betting breakdown
The Carolina Hurricanes have been without starting goaltender Frederik Andersen for most of the season. The 34-year-old had a 4-1 record with a 2.87 goals against average and .894 save percentage before he left the team in early November to deal with blood clotting issues. Andersen, who posted a 21-11-1 record with a 2.48 GAA and a .903 SV % last season is still about a month away from playing again, but the team expects him to return at some point in the 2024 season. His return is something Carolina needs as the club has the second-worst save percentage in the league at .886 despite allowing the fewest shots on goal per game in the NHL at 25.3.
Pyotr Kochetkov was playing well for the ‘Canes (2.58 GAA, .900 SV %), but he’s been out of the lineup since early January with a concussion. Antti Raanta has started the club’s past six games. He has a 3.20 GAA and a .866 SV %.
Sebastian Aho leads the team in scoring with 51 points, 16 goals, and 35 assists. The 26-year-old is the bright spot on the Hurricanes, and he is projected to set a career-high in points and assists this season. Seth Jarvis is second on the team in points with 34. Off-season signing Michael Bunting is the third-highest scorer on the club with 30 points.
Carolina is averaging 3.40 goals per game this year while giving up 3.02. They have scored 154 goals and surrendered 139. The Hurricanes have the third-best power play in the league at 27 percent and the sixth-best penalty kill (83.3 percent)
Carolina has a 12-10-1 road record in 2024.
Boston Bruins betting breakdown
Team defense has been one of the keys for the Bruins. The team has given up 120 goals on the season, which is the tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for fewest goals allowed in the Eastern Conference, on 31.2 shots allowed per game, which is the ninth most average shots allowed per game in the league. Boston’s goal differential of plus-41 ranks first in the Eastern Conference.
David Pastrnak is the offensive leader of the Bruins. The winger has a team-leading 67 points. Pastrnak also leads the club in goals (30) and assists (37). Pastrnak is third in the NHL in scoring on the season. Brad Marchand is second in team scoring with 44 points (21 goals, 24 assists).
Boston’s goaltending duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have split time in net for the Bruins, and both are playing well. The duo has combined for a 2.61 goals against average and a .918 save percentage. Swayman has picked up most of the starts as of late, as Ullmark was tending to a lower-body injury. Ullmark played on Saturday against the Canadians, giving up four goals on 21 shots in a 9-4 win.
Boston is No.4 in the NHL in power play (26.8 percent) and fifth on the penalty kill (83.9 percent). The Bruins are 16-3-3 at home this season and have a 6-1-3 record in their past 10 games overall.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins betting trends
In their last 10 NHL regular season meetings, the Hurricanes and Bruins are 5-5. Carolina scored 35 goals in those games, while Boston netted 20. Last season, the Bruins went 2-1 against the Hurricanes, but Carolina outscored them overall 9-7.
The Bruins are 25-15 as the betting favorites in 2024, while the Hurricanes have picked up one win in four games where they were the betting underdogs.
In their past 10 games, Boston has averaged 4.44 goals per game, while giving up 2.8 markers. The Hurricanes have scored 38 goals in their past 10 matchups, and surrendered 23.
Best bets for Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins
Both these teams have been playing well as of late, but the Hurricanes have some issues in net. With how well Boston is playing on offense, the betting pick is for the Bruins to beat the Hurricanes at TD Garden tonight.
Boston’s offense has been good at home, and the Hurricanes are not the best road team. When you add the Hurricanes’ goaltending woes, the betting pick is to take the puck line for the Bruins at -1.5.
See below a list of reliable sportsbooks and choose the best one for you.