| 2009 NHL Playoffs: Boston Bruins vs Carolina Hurricanes Game 7 |
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| Written by Scott Burgess | |||||||
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Thursday, 14 May 2009
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 The Boston Bruins won Game 6, 4-2 on the road, over the Carolina Hurricanes to force a Game 7, which goes tonight, May 14, in Boston. The winner will go on to play the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final. NHL oddsmakers at SBGglobal.com have the Bruins as -220 moneyline favs over the Hurricanes (+175) with the over/under listed at 5 goals. Be sure to get your 2009 NHL Playoffs Boston Bruins vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction in now at SBGglobal.comThe Hurricanes couldn’t get it done at home and now they face the Bruins who’ve lost just one game at home to the Hurricanes all season. The Canes got goals from Sergei Samsonov and Matt Cullen. Goalie Cam Ward stopped 15 of 19 shots for a 7-6 playoff record with a 2.29 GAA after giving up 30 goals; he’s got two playoff shutouts. Carolina overcame a 3-2 deficit in the first round and beat New Jersey, scoring twice in the last 80 seconds of Game 7 to take the series. The Hurricanes were seeded sixth but finished the season strong and then eliminated the Devils, winning Game 7 on the road. They have a shot at their second Stanley Cup championship in four years. The Hurricanes' win over New Jersey was their third straight in a Game 7 situation. The Bruins haven't played one this year. "Yeah, we might feel a little bit more comfortable in Game 7, but ... nothing can prepare you for that," Carolina's Sergei Samsonov said. "The more you think about it, you just have to treat it like one game. Not a Game 7. It’s just one game." The Bruins lost only nine games at home during the regular season; they averaged 3.70 goals a game and gave up 2.75 goals a game to the Canes. The Bruins got goals from Mark Recchi, Steve Montador, Marc Savard and Chuck Kobasew. Goalie Tim Thomas stopped 31 of 33 shots for a 7-3 playoff record with a 1.80 GAA after giving a low 18 goals; he’s got one playoff shutout. The Bruins won the opener of the Eastern Conference semifinal 4-1. Then the Hurricanes outscored Boston 10-3 in taking the next three games. Faced with a clear choice, play better or get eliminated, the Bruins rallied with a 4-0 win in Game 5 and a 2-0 lead in the first 5:04 of Game 6. "This series has (had) more momentum swings during games than any series I've probably been involved with," Boston goalie Tim Thomas said. "So it's crucial to try to keep that momentum." The Bruins went 4-0 in the regular season against Carolina but such dominance has disappeared in the playoffs. The Bruins have lost all 20 series in which they trailed 3-1. But they never made it to a seventh game in the first 19 and won only one game in 18 of them. Now they just have to win one game to advance. Recent Trends to Consider:
2009 NHL Playoffs Boston Bruins vs Carolina Hurricanes When: Thurs, May 14, 2009 8:00 PM ET Line: SBGglobal.com Pick: Bruins -220 Point-Spreads.com 2009 NHL Playoffs Boston Bruins vs Carolina Hurricanes The Bottom Line: You are going to see the big bad Bruins at their best tonight. Go Bruins! Be sure to get your 2009 NHL Playoffs Boston Bruins vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction in now at SBGglobal.com and receive a 60% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit.                        |
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