Flames vs Bruins

David Pastrnak and the Bruins get a good spot at home against a Flames team that has dropped three straight and is just 6-14-2 on the road, while Boston sits a solid 12-8-1 at TD Garden and has at least stabilized with two wins in its last three despite the loss in Seattle. With both sides past the 41-game mark and sitting on the playoff bubble in their divisions, the urgency angle slightly favors Boston, which can’t afford to give away home points to a Western opponent. Current injury reports show Calgary missing depth center John Beecher and Boston without top-four defender Hampus Lindholm, a trade-off that dings the Bruins’ blue line but is partially offset by their deeper forward group and the fact that Calgary’s center depth is already heavily reliant on Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund. Recent history also leans Boston’s way in process if not results: the Bruins outshot the Flames in Calgary before losing 2-1 in overtime, and their top line of Pastrnak plus a productive middle-six featuring Morgan Geekie projects better at five-on-five than Calgary’s attack even with Dustin Wolf playing well in net. Factor in that the Bruins still carry the superior overall goal differential profile and long-term head-to-head edge, and the home favorite at -143 is reasonably priced, especially with revenge at play, though not cheap enough to be an elite wager; I’d grade Bruins moneyline a B for combining a meaningful edge with moderate, not spectacular, value. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 08/01/2026 09:23([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/preview/_/gameId/401803033))

This total looks a touch high at 6 when you consider that Calgary’s full-season profile sits around the mid-fives in combined goals per game (111 for, 121 against through 43 contests) and Boston’s recent 10-game stretch has featured just 2.8 goals for and 3.5 against per night, all while their first meeting this season finished 2-1 in overtime with both Dustin Wolf and Jeremy Swayman in control. The biggest risk to an under comes from discipline: the Bruins lead the league in penalty minutes and the Flames are top-three in that category as well, so there should be plenty of special-teams time, and Kadri’s track record of producing against Boston plus Pastrnak’s elite power-play scoring could easily punish a parade to the box. Still, Calgary’s offense tends to shrink on the road, Boston’s even-strength defensive structure remains sound even minus Hampus Lindholm, and Wolf has been the Flames’ wins leader while Swayman anchors a Bruins team that, despite its record, is built to grind out low-event wins when protecting standings position in the second half. Given the mix of modest scoring trends, quality goaltending, and a recent head-to-head that stayed well below this number, I lean Under 6 at -118 and grade it a B-, acknowledging the elevated penalty volume and star power on both top units keep this from being a higher-confidence under. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 08/01/2026 09:23([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/preview/_/gameId/401803033))

With Calgary riding a three-game skid and carrying a poor road mark into Boston, the Bruins’ -1.5 puckline at -162 has a logical path if their offense finally converts its shot and chance edge against a Flames group that has already let them generate plenty of looks in the recent 2-1 OT loss in Alberta. The concern is that Calgary, even while sliding, tends to keep games close behind Dustin Wolf and a veteran spine featuring Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund, and Rasmus Andersson, and Kadri’s long history of solid production versus Boston suggests the Flames are capable of trading punches enough to keep this within a goal. On the Boston side, the healthy presence of Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie and a deep forward corps from the current roster sheet means they have the finishing depth to blow a game open if Calgary’s discipline slips or their travel-heavy stretch finally shows up in third-period legs, and with both clubs fighting for wild-card positioning after crossing the halfway point, late empty-net scenarios lean slightly toward the home favorite pressing for insurance. Still, given Calgary’s pattern of tight results, their recent OT win in the series, and the inherent volatility of laying -1.5 in a league with so many one-goal finals, Bruins -1.5 is more of a smaller-stake, ceiling play than a core position, and I’d grade it a C+ for higher upside but noticeably lower likelihood than simply backing Boston on the moneyline. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 08/01/2026 09:23([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/preview/_/gameId/401803033))