Chicago Blackhawks @ Boston Bruins 10/09/2025
Connor Bedard and the young Chicago Blackhawks roll into TD Garden to face a Boston Bruins team that looked renewed and confident out of the gate. Puck drops Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+. Both clubs have just one game in the books, but there’s already a pretty clear split in how they’re trending for handicappers sizing up the early season. Boston opened with a composed road win, collecting two points and sitting in the early-season upper tier of the Eastern Conference Atlantic, while Chicago comes in searching for its first points and currently sits in the lower half of the Western Conference Central.
In a one-game sample, the Bruins’ per-game scoring sits at 3.0 with a 1.0 against; they also cashed at 50% on the power play and were perfect on the penalty kill. Jeremy Swayman looked sharp in the crease with a save rate north of .970, and Boston’s structure under new head coach Marco Sturm carried the day with compact gaps and a clean breakout. Chicago showed some pop behind Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi, but with injuries on the blue line, they allowed a high volume of looks, leaving Spencer Knight to handle a heavy per-game shot load. That combination—Boston’s crisp execution, special teams edge, and home opener energy—sets the stage for the wagers we like most.
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Our betting predictions for the match Chicago Blackhawks @ Boston Bruins
Main Tip: Totals – Over 5.5 Goals
Our primary betting prediction: Total Over 5.5 at -125 with Fanatics Sportsbook. Boston’s pace and puck movement were evident, generating layered chances off the rush and low-to-high cycles, while Chicago’s defensive injuries thin out their matchups on the back end. If Pastrnak and the Bruins’ top unit get an early man-advantage look, they can tilt the ice quickly. Chicago’s young skill—Bedard and Nazar—can counterpunch. The combination of the Bruins’ shot quality and the Blackhawks’ transition threats points toward a game that clears this number.
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Tip 2: Moneyline — Boston Bruins to Win
Our second betting tip: Moneyline — Boston Bruins at best odds (bet365). The Bruins looked composed, opportunistic, and comfortable in their systems in the opener. At home, in their building, with Swayman tracking well and a power play that already found the net, the edge leans toward Boston. Chicago’s travel (Florida to Boston) and injuries on defense make it tougher to manage matchups, especially with the last change in Boston’s corner. In a league of fine margins, Boston’s structured 200-foot game is the separator.
Tip 3: Spread – Boston Bruins -1.5
Our final prediction: Spread — Boston Bruins -1.5 at +155 with bet365. This is a plus-money sprinkle based on the game script. If Boston gets on top early, their forecheck can keep Chicago in their zone, and Sturm’s bench can leverage favorable matchups. With the Hawks breaking in young pieces and absorbing minutes on a thinner blue line, the Bruins have a pathway to a multi-goal margin via special teams and extended O-zone time. It’s not the primary play, but the price is worth a look.
Team news
Boston Bruins: Marco Sturm’s debut behind the bench produced a poised team performance. Injuries loom: Charlie McAvoy and Mark Kastelic won’t return this season, which impacts defensive rhythm and faceoff depth. Nikita Zadorov is a game-time decision due to a family matter, while Duran gets the emergency call-up from Providence for his NHL debut. The Bruins will lean on Hampus Lindholm and their veteran forward core to stabilize matchups and maintain special teams sharpness.
Chicago Blackhawks: Jeff Blashill’s group skates in with youth, pace, and some tough absences. Laurent Brossoit (knee), Colton Dach (elbow), Alec Martinez (hip), Jason Dickinson (wrist), Connor Murphy (illness), and Wyatt Kaiser (illness) are out. With Murphy and Kaiser unavailable, the defensive rotation thins, forcing younger defenders into tougher minutes and more second-effort plays around the net. Up front, Dickinson’s loss reduces veteran stability down the middle. It’s a teaching environment early for Chicago’s kids, and it shows most on the back end.
Boston Bruins performance check
Marco Sturm’s Bruins played a classic TD Garden game on the road—protect the house, quick exits, and attack off layers. Through one game, Boston is averaging 3.0 goals per night and giving up 1.0. The power play clocked in at 50% and the penalty kill was perfect, both encouraging signals for an offense that wants to flow through David Pastrnak’s release and Brad Marchand’s playmaking. Jeremy Swayman looked calm and compact, stopping nearly everything he saw and posting an elite per-game save rate.
Even more, Boston’s faceoff work felt tidy and situationally strong, allowing them to lean into their set plays off offensive-zone draws and relieve pressure defensively. Structurally, the Bruins won the middle of the ice, which is where this team will win most nights. With the last change at home, Sturm can set the Pastrnak line up against favorable matchups and free Lindholm to handle the toughest defensive assignments. Boston’s current form suggests a team that’s organized, disciplined, and opportunistic—three traits bettors should appreciate.
How is the current performance of Chicago Blackhawks
Jeff Blashill has leaned into development and the Hawks’ speed. Connor Bedard created chances and looked dangerous in pockets—inside-out cuts, quick-release wristers, and that knack for finding soft ice off the rush. Frank Nazar brought energy and finish, and Tyler Bertuzzi did the gritty work on the forecheck to help generate turnovers. Across one game, Chicago’s averages sit at 2.0 goals per night and 3.0 against.
Spencer Knight battled with a strong per-game save rate given the high workload, but the Hawks allowed a lot of touches in the house, forcing him to make repeated lateral pushes. Chicago’s special teams are still a work in progress; they didn’t generate the kind of in-zone cohesion we saw from Boston. And with veteran defensemen out, Chicago’s ability to clear bodies and manage net-front scrums is an area Boston can attack. The pieces are promising, but in Boston’s building, the margin for error is thin.
Team Statistics
- – Boston Bruins (through one game): 3.0 goals per game, 1.0 against; power play 50%, penalty kill 100%; goaltending in top form with an elite per-game save percentage; faceoff execution looked strong situationally.
- – Chicago Blackhawks (through one game): 2.0 goals per game, 3.0 against; no power-play breakthrough yet in the small sample; Knight’s per-game save rate was solid given the shot volume; faceoff results hovered near even by feel, but they’ll seek more sustained O-zone wins.
Keyplayer Statistics/Momentum/External Factors
- – David Pastrnak: The release is still one of the most dangerous in the league. He was driving the opening-night offense with pace and touch passes through the seam. In a single-game window, he was a primary catalyst for both even-strength and power-play looks.
- – Jeremy Swayman: Tracked pucks cleanly, with rebound control that let Boston’s D box out and clear. When your goalie is seeing it like that, the bench plays more confidently through the middle.
- – Connor Bedard: Constant motion, deceptive edges, and the shot that keeps defenders honest. Even when he’s not on the score sheet, he pulls coverage and opens space for linemates.
- – Frank Nazar: Speed plays in any building. He can flip the sheet with one good read.
- – External factors: Chicago travels in from Florida with two days between games; Boston has home opener energy and last change. The bigger story, though, is injuries—Chicago’s blue line is thin without Murphy and Kaiser, while Boston’s defensive structure remains dependable even with personnel changes.
Last direct match: Boston Bruins vs Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago took the most recent head-to-head on the road by a three-goal margin, a reminder that the Hawks’ young skill can pop even in tough buildings. Boston’s core won’t need any extra motivation; they’ll remember that one and aim to control the slot and limit Chicago’s transition bursts.
Performance last 5 matches
- – Boston Bruins: 4 wins, 1 loss across all competitions.
- – Chicago Blackhawks: 1 win, 4 losses across all competitions.
Last match results Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks
- – Boston: Comfortable win on the road in Washington by a two-goal margin, built on special teams efficiency and stout goaltending.
- – Chicago: One-goal setback in Florida despite strong individual efforts from Nazar and Bertuzzi and a resilient night from Knight in net.
TrustnBet Final Thoughts
We’re backing three angles: Over 5.5 at -125 thanks to Boston’s dynamic puck movement and Chicago’s thin blue line, Boston moneyline with home ice and special teams tilt, and a plus-money sprinkle on Boston -1.5 at +155 in a game script that can stretch late if the Bruins get ahead. The Bruins’ structure, Swayman’s form, and Pastrnak’s shot profile create a clear edge; Chicago’s youth gives them pop, but the matchup and situational edges favor Boston’s side of the slip.
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