Panthers vs Bruins Prediction Game 4 NHL Playoffs 4/23

© Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Game Preview: Bruins vs. Panthers (Apr 23, 2023) Pregame - Boston brings 2-1 series lead into game 4 against Florida

It's game 4 of the first round in the NHL playoffs, and the Boston Bruins have a 2-1 lead in the series against the Florida Panthers. The two teams will face off on Sunday, April 23rd at 3:30 p.m. EDT in Sunrise, Florida. If you're looking for NHL picks, experts and computer predictions are split on this matchup. The Bruins come in as the favorites at -150, while the Panthers have odds of +126. The over/under is set at 6 goals. NHL experts' picks today and the best NHL bets today will likely focus on the Bruins, who finished the regular season with a 65-12-5 record and first place in the Atlantic Division. They have a +127 scoring differential, which is the best in the league. However, don't count the Panthers out just yet. They have a record of 42-32-8 and finished fourth in the Atlantic Division. They have a strong penalty kill and have committed the fewest turnovers in the league. As for NHL picks with spread, the Bruins are favored to win by at least one goal. NHL picks and parlays may also look at the total goals scored, with both teams capable of lighting up the scoreboard. Keep an eye on top performers like Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe for the Panthers, and Brad Marchand and Tyler Bertuzzi for the Bruins. Injuries to Patric Hornqvist for the Panthers and Nick Foligno, Patrice Bergeron, and David Krejci for the Bruins may also come into play. Overall, this should be an exciting game that could go either way. NHL predictions today may favor the Bruins, but the Panthers are a tough team to beat at home. We'll have to wait and see which team comes out on top in this crucial game 4 matchup.

Bruins: Offensive Analysis

The Boston Bruins come into game 4 against the Florida Panthers with a 2-1 series lead. The Bruins have been offensively dominant all season, with a record of 65-12-5 and a scoring differential of +127, scoring a total of 301 goals and giving up only 174. The Bruins have a strong offensive lineup led by Brad Marchand who has scored 21 goals and 46 assists this season. Tyler Bertuzzi has also been a key contributor, with three goals and 10 assists over the past 10 games. The Panthers, on the other hand, have a record of 42-32-8 and are currently fourth in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers have committed the most penalties in the league with a total of 389 (4.7 per game) which could hurt their chances against the Bruins' powerful offense. The Bruins have been in excellent form lately, winning nine out of their last ten games, and averaging 3.6 goals per game. In contrast, the Panthers have a record of 6-3-1 in their last ten games, averaging 3.9 goals per game. In terms of NHL picks, experts and computer predictions favor the Bruins as the -150 favorites in this game against the +126 underdog Panthers. However, considering that this is a playoffs game, anything can happen, and it will be interesting to see how both teams perform. Overall, the Bruins have the better offense, and their form coming into this game is excellent. We predict that the Bruins' offense will overpower the Panthers, and we recommend taking the Bruins -150 on the money line.

Bruins: Defensive Analysis

The Boston Bruins are heading into Game 4 against the Florida Panthers with a 2-1 series lead. In order to maintain their advantage, the Bruins will need to continue their solid defensive play. The Bruins have been one of the best defensive teams in the NHL this season, allowing just 2.5 goals per game. Their goaltending duo of Tuukka Rask and Jeremy Swayman has been outstanding, with both posting save percentages above .920. The Bruins' penalty kill has also been a strength, ranking third in the league with an 85.7% success rate. One area where the Bruins could improve is in their shot suppression. They rank 17th in the league in shots against per game, allowing 31.3 on average. However, the Bruins do a good job of limiting quality scoring chances, as evidenced by their low goals against average. The Panthers are a high-scoring team, averaging 3.4 goals per game in the regular season. The Bruins will need to be disciplined defensively, as the Panthers' power play is dangerous, ranking fourth in the league with a 23.9% success rate. The absence of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci due to upper body injuries hurts the Bruins' defensive depth, but they still have a number of capable defenders in Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk. The Bruins' forwards also play a strong defensive game, with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron both being among the top defensive forwards in the league. Overall, the Bruins' defensive play will be a key factor in their ability to advance to the next round of the playoffs. NHL picks experts and computer models alike will likely favor the Bruins' defensive strength in this game. Bruins fans and bettors looking for the best NHL bets today might want to consider taking the Bruins on the moneyline and under on the total goals.

Panthers: Offense Analysis

The Florida Panthers need to step up on offense if they want to turn the series around against the Boston Bruins. While the Bruins have been dominating with a 2-1 series lead coming into game four, the Panthers have struggled to keep up. Despite having top performers like Mathew Tkachuk, who has scored 40 goals and 69 assists, the Panthers have only managed to average 2.3 goals per game in the series. Their overall penalty record also leaves a lot to be desired, currently leading the league with 389 total penalties and 4.7 per game. If they continue to struggle on offense and give the Bruins too many opportunities with penalties, they will not stand a chance. Meanwhile, the Bruins have been firing on all cylinders with 301 total goals scored and a +127 scoring differential. Brad Marchand, who has 21 goals and 46 assists, and Tyler Bertuzzi, with three goals and 10 assists over the past 10 games, have been leading the charge for Boston. The Bruins have only given up an average of 2.5 goals per game in the series, making it difficult for the Panthers to mount any comeback. Expert NHL picks and computer predictions favor the Bruins to take this game as well, with odds and parlays pointing to another strong performance from Boston. The Panthers will need to find a way to break through the Bruins defense if they want to pull off a victory and even out the series.

Panthers: Defensive Analysis

As the Boston Bruins come to visit the Florida Panthers for the fourth game of the first-round series of the NHL playoffs, the Panthers must focus on their defensive strategy to win the game and tie the series. The Panthers' defense has been inconsistent during the series, allowing nine goals in three games. The Panthers must focus on protecting their own end and limiting the Bruins' offensive opportunities. In addition, the Panthers must improve their penalty killing, as they have allowed the Bruins to score four power-play goals in the series. However, the Panthers have some defensive strengths to rely on. They have a solid goaltender in Sergei Bobrovsky, who can steal the game if he is on top of his game. The Panthers must also rely on their top defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who can shut down the Bruins' top scorers. The Bruins have been one of the best offensive teams in the league this season, scoring 301 goals in 82 games. The Panthers must be disciplined and limit their turnovers, as the Bruins are also a strong transition team that can turn a minor mistake into a scoring opportunity. In conclusion, the Panthers need to play a tight and disciplined defensive game to beat the Bruins in game four and tie the series. They must focus on protecting their own end, improving penalty killing, and limiting turnovers to prevent the Bruins from taking a commanding 3-1 series lead. Therefore, according to the NHL picks experts and computer predictions, the Panthers need to rely on their defensive strengths and play consistently to win this game. The nhl picks with spread might favor the Bruins, but the Panthers have the potential to surprise the nhl today experts and win the game. The nhl picks and parlay decision might be challenging, but if the Panthers focus on their defensive play, they have a good chance of winning the game and forcing a game five.

Injury Report

The Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers are set to face off in game four of their NHL playoffs first round series. The Bruins currently hold a 2-1 series lead, but both teams have had some injuries to key players. For the Panthers, Patric Hornqvist will be out due to a concussion. This is a big loss for Florida as Hornqvist is a key forward for them with 17 goals and 15 assists in 52 games this season. Meanwhile, the Bruins have a couple of players listed as day to day. Nick Foligno is out with a lower-body injury, while Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are both dealing with upper body injuries. Bergeron and Krejci are both important players for the Bruins, with Bergeron being a top scorer and Krejci being a key playmaker. Despite these injuries, both teams have been performing well in their recent games. The Panthers have a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games and have been averaging 3.9 goals per game during that stretch. The Bruins have been even more dominant, with a 9-1-0 record in their last 10 games and averaging 3.6 goals per game. When it comes to NHL picks and predictions, injuries can certainly play a role in the outcome of a game. However, both teams have enough depth to overcome these injuries and put up a good fight in game four. It will be interesting to see how these injuries impact the game and if either team can gain an edge.

Prediction:

The Panthers have home-ice advantage with a 23-13-5 record at home during the regular season, which may give them an edge in terms of crowd support and familiarity with the arena. Additionally, they were able to score six goals in Game 2 against the Bruins, showing their ability to put the puck in the net.

The Bruins will be missing two key players, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, due to injuries, which could weaken their offense and provide an opportunity for the Panthers to capitalize. The Panthers also have several capable goalies, including Sergei Bobrovsky, Spencer Knight, and Alex Lyon, who can potentially steal a game for the team with a strong performance.

Finally, the Panthers have shown resilience throughout the regular season and playoffs, coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the series against the Bruins to win Game 2. They will need to continue to show this type of resilience to even the series and potentially win Game 4.

Overall, the factors outlined suggest that the Panthers have a solid chance of winning Game 4 against the Bruins. They will need to play at a high level and take advantage of the Bruins' injury situation to even the series.

Pick: Panthers +1.5.