2019 NHL Playoffs Stanley Cup Finals - St. Louis Blues vs Boston Bruins (Game 5): Predictions, Odds and Betting Lines

Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA.

When: Thursday, June 6, 8 PM EST

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

St. Louis Blues (Away)

Head Coach: Craig Berube {All-Time 113-77-34 STL, PHI}

In what seems to be the St. Louis fashion of the 2019 playoffs, the team bounced back after a devastating defeat to once again tie the series at two games apiece. The Blues were demolished in game three, dropping the game 7-2 to the Bruins. But the team rallied, kept emotions in check, came in with a strategy and got the job done in game four. It was their first home win of the series.

The Blues outscored the Bruins 4-2. They outshot them 38-23, and outhit them 44-41. The most promising feat came in the faceoff circle. An area that Blues have been struggling in, especially against the Bruins, the Blues had the edge in faceoffs in game four. They also came in with a strategy of shooting low and looking for rebounds that paid off big.

As much as the Blues are able to bounce back from defeat, they have yet to register two victories in a row in the finals. Neither team has. And they will need to adjust their strategies now that the teams have two days off to study each other before game five. The Bruins are not a team who will fall for the same tricks twice.

After being pulled for the first time in the playoffs, Calder trophy hopeful Jordan Binnington stayed calm under pressure and backstopped his team to a 4-2 game four victory. He made 21 saves in the game and finished with a .913 save percentage. Over his 23 playoff games, Binnington has put together a 2.52 goals against average and has a save percentage of .909. He has one shutout, one assist, and four penalty minutes.

Boston Bruins (Home)

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

The Bruins got outplayed in every aspect during game four against St. Louis. They were outscored, outshot, outhit, and dropped too many faceoffs.

Although Tuukka Rask had a strong performance, the team as a whole fell apart defensively. Any puck that rebounded off of Rask could not be cleared by the Bruins and, as a result, the Blues were able to bang in several goals on second and third attempts. The Bruins allowed 38 shots on goal during game four. It is likely that the team will make the most of their two days off and reevaluate their strategies when it comes to playing deep in their own end of the ice.

It would not be surprising to see the Bruins bounce back and dominate game five as they still managed to put the pressure on the Blues for periods of time. The score was tied throughout much of the game and the Bruins generated scoring chances, however many shots missed the net. Charlie Coyle extended his point streak to three games and Brandon Carlo even managed to score a short-handed goal.

One big wildcard for the Boston Bruins heading into game five is the health status of their captain Zdeno Chara. In the second period of game four, Chara had a puck deflect off his stick and up into his face, drawing blood and sending him to the locker room. He returned to the bench in the third period with a full face shield but did not play another shift. He is not listed on the injury reports and coach Cassidy says it is still undetermined if he will be on the ice in Boston for game five.

The good news is that Tuukka Rask will still be in net for the Bruins. Although the team lost game four, that was in no way a reflection of Rask’s performance. The starting goaltender continues to shine and had 34 saves on 37 shots in game four. He has accumulated a goals against average of 1.96 and a save percentage of .938 over the course of these playoffs.

Series recap (Series tied 2-2) Game one: 4-2 Boston, Game two: 3-2 (OT) St. Louis, Game three: 7-2 Boston, Game four: 4-2 St. Louis

Playoff Performers

Although Jaden Schwartz continues to shine, center Ryan O’Reilly has been stepping up huge for the Blues in these finals. O’Reilly now finds himself in the top-4 for playoff scoring, tallying five goals and 13 assists. He has played disciplined hockey, only taking one penalty in the entire playoff tournament. He has one power play goal and five power-play points. He also has two game-winning goals for his team. O’Reilly had two goals in game four.

For Boston, this series has been all about the play of goaltender Tuukka Rask. He has steadily improved his play from series to series. Even in the team’s game four loss, Rask still made 34 saves and had a save percentage of .919 for the game (Jordan Binnington had only 21 saves and a .913 save percentage in game four). Rask has played 21 games in these playoffs and leads all goalies with a .938 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average. He has two shutouts over 1,284 minutes of play. He is the front-runner for the Conn Smythe award.

Questions to answer

After such a strong bounce-back victory, can St. Louis carry that momentum into the TD Garden and become the first team in this series to win two games in a row?

After being pulled for the first time in game four, can St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington buckle down in the crease and give his team the defensive confidence they need to win their first Stanley Cup?

Will Zdeno Chara make it to the ice for game five? And if he does, will his facial injury affect his performance in any way?

St. Louis Blues Injury Report

F Robert Thomas – day-to-day (wrist)

F Erik Foley – IR (concussion)

Boston Bruins Injury Report

D Matt Grzelcyk – day-to-day (undisclosed)

F Chris Wagner – day-to-day (right arm)

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

D Urho Vaakanainen – IR (concussion)

St. Louis Blues vs. Boston Bruins Predictions and Odds

If you are in New Jersey you can bet on the Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins with 888Sport and BetStars. Good luck!

Moneyline

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Total Goals

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Puck Line

* 21+ | NJ only | If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER