Boston Bruins vs Columbus Blue Jackets Game 4: Predictions, Odds and How to Watch

Where: Nationwide Arena – Columbus, OH.

When: Thursday, May 2, 7:30 PM EST

How (TV/Radio): NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVAS, CBC | WFAN

Boston Bruins (Away)

Head Coach: Bruce Cassidy {All-Time 164-99-9-29 BOS, WSH}

The Boston Bruins suffered defeat in game three but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The Bruins managed to out shoot their opponents 37-34 and they won 57.8 percent of the game’s faceoffs. Tuukka Rask also made 32 saves. They swarmed their opponents late in the second period and again late in the third with the man-advantage but just couldn’t sneak one past Columbus. Game three should be a barnburner and shows signs of being the third game out of four to head into overtime.

In game three, forward David Krejci became only the third Bruin in history after Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque to tally 60 playoff assists.

Boston’s go-to goalie Tuukka Rask will start game four for the Bruins. Over ten game splayed these playoffs, Rask has a 2.22 goals against average and a save percentage of .928. He is 5-5 through two rounds and has played 622 minutes – more than any other goalie in this year’s Stanley Cup playoff tournament.

Columbus Blue Jackets (Home)

Head Coach: John Tortorella {All-Time 622-493-37-105 CBJ, VAN, NYR, TBL}

Unexpectedly, Columbus’ strongest aspect in game three against the Bruins was their physical play – out-hitting their bruising opponents 53-30. It was that physical play that helped them make up for being out shot and losing the majority of faceoffs. Game three marked the first time that the Blue Jackets have won a second-round home game.

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has another spectacular performance, pulling off a .973 save percentage in game three and Matt Duchene got his second game-winner of the playoffs a power play goal.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who was the first-star of the game for game three after making 36 saves on 37 shots, will once again start for Columbus in game four. Throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs, Bobrovsky has a goals against average of 1.88 and a save percentage of .937. He is 6-1 in the 2019 playoffs.

Series recap (Columbus leads series 2-1) Game one: 3-2 Boston (OT), Game two: 3-2 Columbus (OT), Game three: 2-1 Columbus

Playoff Performers

Boston’s leading scorer through two rounds remains Brad Marchand. Marchand was in a bit of hot water after game three after a late-game cheap shot that saw him receive no penalty and no disciplinary action from the league post-game. Through ten games, Marchand has registered four goals and five assists. Five of those nine points have come on the power play. He has 37 shots and one game-winning goal.

For Columbus, their offensive leader come in the form of Matt Duchene – who sits in the number ten spot of the playoffs top-10 scoring leaders. In three less games, he has managed the same amount of points as Marchand with five goals and four assists. He has four power play points and is a plus-5. Duchene also has two game-winners – one of them in overtime.

Questions to answer

Does Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky have the stamina to repeat his performance in game three?

Has Brad Marchand put an even bigger target on his back for game four? Will Columbus take the bait and find themselves taking unnecessary penalties in order to seek revenge?

Can the Bruins come back physically stronger after getting out hit by a team that doesn’t have quite the physical reputation as the Boston team?

Boston Bruins Injury Report

D John Moore – day-to-day (upper-body)

D Kevan Miller – day-to-day (lower-body)

D Urho Vaakanainen – IR (concussion)

Columbus Blue Jackets Injury Report

D Markus Nutivaara – day-to-day (undisclosed)

D Adam McQuaid – day-to-day (upper-body)

D Ryan Murray – IR (upper-body)

Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets Odds

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