2011 NHL Playoffs Picks – Bruins at Canadiens Game 3 Odds and Predictions – Free NHL Picks 4-18-11

Free NHL Playoffs Picks and Odds: Game 3 Boston Bruins @ Montreal Canadiens Favorite, Moneyline, Total and Predictions 4/18/11: The Boston Bruins are suffering another playoff collapse to their hated nemesis, the Montreal Canadiens. They are quickly deep in a two game deficit and they only have one goal to show for. Tim Thomas is average, at best, and he is not looking like the goaltender that guided the Bruins through their regular season schedule. Two straight games have seen the Bruins give up early first period goals, game two alone saw Montreal scored twice in the first three minutes. Claude Julien has been livid with his clubs defensive effort and he is publicly calling out his team’s offense for its ineptness. They are not getting traffic to the net and they are making the series, thus far, fairly effortless for Habs’ goaltender Cary Price. Marc Bergeron has the only tally for the Bruins and he is by far the best player skating for Boston in this series. He is creating opportunities’ and is showing desperation in every shift he plays. Boston will need efforts like his from all of it’s’ troops if they plan on returning home ice advantage to them in Montreal. Although it is not technically an elimination game tonight for Boston, every player knows it is a must win game tonight. I expect they will play one of their strongest games in recent memory to prevent being down in the ultimate playoff hole of three games.

The Montreal Canadiens are feeling pretty good after stealing two games in Boston and now they will return home to a raucous crowd at the Bell Centre. They are once again playing the underdog role to perfection and are giving fans of the Canadiens great playoff hockey to watch. The Canadiens are following the traditional formula to winning in the playoffs, scoring early and sitting on the lead with defensive fortitude. Cary Price should take his entire defensive unit out for dinner when this series wraps up, the fourth year goaltender has seen every shot he has faced and his rebounds are quickly being dealt with. His 1 goal against is the best in the NHL playoffs thus far, but he has arguably had the easiest testing thus far. Scotty Gomez is having the best playoffs of his life, albeit thus far, as the veteran is creating opportunities for his line mates and is getting busy in the dirty areas of the ice. Montreal does not want to give the Bruins any momentum in this series so I expect they will be playing tonight as if it is a must win for themselves.

Tonight in Quebec we will recommend a play on the OVER. Boston is too talented of a hockey club to have 1 goal to show for through 2 games of playoff action. They have 3 lines that can score and I expect them to break out of their funk tonight on the road. Hitting the road after a brutal home stand is usually a good thing for hockey clubs and I expect the Bruins to relish the opportunity to not play under the scrutiny of their home fans. Montreal always plays well under the Bell Centre roof and I expect the screaming crowd of 21,500 will give them extra motivation to put the puck in the net. The total has hit the OVER in 10 of 16 games since 2009 in the Bell Centre between these two clubs. Cary Price is a good goaltender, but he is no Vezina candidate and I expect him to come back to earth tonight. We will consider the goals to be popped in early and often tonight at the Bell Centre. Cheers!

Free Pick: OVER 5 Goals
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