The Columbus Blue Jackets will be trying to rebound from their worst performance of the NHL playoffs when they take on the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of their second-round clash as +120 underdogs on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Columbus looked to be in control of the series after posting a 2-1 character win in Game 3. However, the club struggled to maintain the discipline that has been the hallmark of their surprising playoff run Thursday, dropping a 4-1 loss to Boston that leaves the series knotted at 2-2 going into Saturday night’s matchup at TD Garden.
Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky received little help while facing 46 shots in the team’s loss on Thursday as narrow -120 home chalk, which also marked their first loss in regulation during these playoffs. While Columbus earned a hard-fought 3-2 win at TD Garden in Game 2, they have never tallied consecutive wins in Boston since entering the NHL in 2000, and now sit as underdogs on the NHL playoff series prices sporting +115 odds.
With the momentum in the series swinging in their favour, the Bruins return home for Game 5 perched as -140 Saturday favourites. The Bruins finally received a big night from their top line on Thursday with Patrice Bergeron potting a pair of power play goals, and Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak each adding an assist.
Boston now sits as a -135 favourite on the NHL series prices, and has jumped to +400 on the Stanley Cup odds. However, the Bruins have struggled with consistency on home ice in recent weeks, posting just three wins in their past eight home outings, according to the OddsShark NHL Database.
Elsewhere on the Saturday NHL playoff odds, the Colorado Avalanche look to claim their first series lead in their playoff matchup with the San Jose Sharks when they hit the ice for Game 5 later on Saturday night as +105 underdogs at betting sites.
The Avalanche shocked the Sharks with a 3-0 shutout win on Thursday to even up the series at 2-2, and have been rewarded on the NHL series prices, where they now sit at even money.
Colorado earned a 4-3 win in Game 2 to end a six-game road slide against the Sharks, but has not recorded consecutive victories in San Jose since November 2003. The Sharks return home for Game 5 as -125 favourites, but have fallen to defeat in eight of 14 home dates since March 9. However, San Jose remains a -120 favourite on the NHL series prices, and joins Boston as a +400 Stanley Cup wager.
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