Free NHL Picks Today: Ottawa Senators vs Boston Bruins 10/18/22

The Ottawa Senators (0-2-0) host the Boston Bruins (3-0-0) at Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday for their home opener. The Senators are -115 favorites, and the total is 6. Boston is playing on back-to-back days after earning a high-scoring 5-3 win over the Panthers yesterday, their third win in a row. The Bruins committed six penalties in the game, though they held Florida without a power play goal. Jake DeBrusk was the top goalscorer for the Bruins with two goals. Linus Ullmark had a great performance with 38 saves (.926%) in the win. Ottawa is back home for a six-game homestand after a 3-2 loss against the Maple Leafs on Saturday. Claude Giroux and Shane Pinto both scored once for the Senators. Giroux added an assist to lead the team in scoring. Anton Forsberg saved only 29 of 32 shots against (.906%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Bruins won three of the four games between the teams last season, although the Senators were 3-2 victors in their final meeting in April. Tim Stuetzle led Ottawa with three points (1G 2A). Forsberg got the win, saving 40 of 42 shots (.952%).

FACING OFF

Boston is averaging 5.33 goals per game so far this season, best in the NHL, and they are taking on a Senators team that is allowing 3.50 goals a game (21st). Meanwhile, Ottawa has found the net 1.50 times a game on average, 31st in the league, and the Bruins are allowing opponents to score 2.67 goals per game (11th).

TOP PERFORMERS:

With five points early this season, David Pastrnak is the top skater for the Bruins. He has two goals and three assists in three games. In the net, Ullmark (2-0-0) is Boston’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.50 GAA and a .934% save percentage. Giroux leads the Senators in scoring with two points. He has one goal and one assist in two games. Forsberg (0-2-0) is the top goalie for Ottawa with a goals against average of 2.56. He has a save percentage of .924%.