Stephen Nover Free Stanley Cup Play
(NHL) Boston vs. Ottawa, 04/12/2017 3:00 PM, Score: 2 - 1
Money Line: -127.00 Boston (Away)
Result: Win
What does it say when the Bruins are favored in this Game 1 despite being on the road and losing all four regular-season meetings to the Senators?

It tells us the oddsmaker believes Boston is the superior team. I agree.

The Bruins are the more experienced playoff team, have the better goalie in Tukka Rask over Craig Anderson and hold huge edges in special teams. The Bruins are the top penalty-killing unit in the NHL. They also ranked seventh in power play scoring percentage. Ottawa rates 22nd in penalty killing and 23rd in power play scoring percentage.

Boston is better, too, offensively. Brad Marchand and David Pastmak are the two best goal scorers in the game. The Senators were held to just 28 goals during their last 15 games.

The Bruins are much better since Bruce Cassidy took over going 20-8-1 since then.

Yes, Ottawa did go 4-0 versus the Bruins in the regular season but each of those games could have gone either way. Now, when the pressure really is on, I see the Bruins prevailing.