Sharks vs Bruins Predictions, Prop Picks & Odds (Thursday, Mar. 12)

• Boston is riding a 13-game home winning streak and has a 25-8-1 record at TD Garden this season
• San Jose superstar Macklin Celebrini returns to Boston with 90 points this season
• See my Sharks vs Bruins prediction below, along with picks, odds and props for Thursday’s game

The San Jose Sharks (30-26-6, 13-16-1 away) visit the Boston Bruins (36-22-6, 25-8-1 home) Thursday night at TD Garden in a game with playoff implications for both sides. Boston holds a two-point lead on the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot, while San Jose sits just a point outside the West’s playoff cutoff.

The Bruins’ 13-game home winning streak is the storyline here, but all eyes will be on former Boston University star Macklin Celebrini making his return to the city. The 19-year-old’s 90 points this season is a mark only Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky reached faster as a teenager.

Puck drop is at 7 pm ET on ESPN+. Here are my Sharks vs Bruins prediction, picks and props.

Sharks vs Bruins Prediction

Boston is 25-8-1 at home, and 13 straight wins at TD Garden is hard to bet against. My Sharks vs Bruins prediction is on the Bruins moneyline. San Jose has lost three straight and five of their last six road games, going 0-4 as a road underdog in that stretch.

Sharks vs Bruins Key Stats

The Bruins control the faceoff circle (52.2% to 47.6%) and have a significant edge in save percentage (.896 to .884). Their power play is running at 24.9%, seventh in the league, and they’re one of the most physical teams in the NHL at 23.4 hits per game.

San Jose allows 3.50 goals per game, the second-worst mark in the NHL. That’s a bad number to carry into a building where the home team hasn’t lost since late January. The Sharks are also 1-10 in their last 11 trips to Boston, and the home team has won the last four meetings.

Swayman vs Nedeljkovic Stats

Swayman has been locked in, allowing one goal or fewer in three of his last four starts. He’s the reason Boston’s home streak is still alive, and he hasn’t surrendered more than two goals in four straight games.

Nedeljkovic has been the more reliable Sharks netminder lately, going 6-1-1 with a 2.23 GAA and .919 save percentage over his last nine appearances. His most recent start was a clunker though — a .786 save percentage in a 3-2 OT loss to St. Louis on just 14 shots. Boston’s attack will test him far more than that.

Sharks vs Bruins Prop Picks

I’m starting my Sharks vs Bruins picks with McAvoy, who’s been one of the best defensemen in hockey over the last month.

McAvoy has 5 goals and 21 points over his last 18 games and scored the overtime winner against the Kings on Tuesday. He has 46 points in 52 games this season (7 goals, 39 assists) while logging 24:15 per night and quarterbacking the top power play with 19 PP points.

The key trend to note here is that McAvoy has recorded a point in 11 of his last 12 games as a favorite. He took a hit into the boards from LA’s Samuel Helenius on Tuesday and needed more dental work, but he’s expected to play.

Pastrnak has 201 shots on goal in 58 games this season (3.47 per game) and has gone over 3.5 shots in five straight games against San Jose, averaging 5.2 per game in those matchups.

He missed the morning skate after welcoming a new baby daughter, but is fully expected to play. San Jose allows 30.2 shots per game (31st in the NHL), and Pastrnak logs 20:29 per night with nearly four minutes of power-play time.

Wrapping up my Sharks vs Bruins props, I’m backing Celebrini to pepper the net in his return to Boston. The 19-year-old has scored in four straight games and has points in six consecutive (five goals, four assists).

His 90 points rank fifth in the NHL. Boston allows 29.9 shots per game, and Celebrini will be motivated to put on a show at his old college stomping grounds.

Sharks vs Bruins Odds

Odds as of March 12 via consensus sportsbooks. New customers can claim the Caesars Sportsbook promo code and bet on tonight’s NHL odds.

The Sharks vs Bruins odds have Boston as a solid -157 home favorite. San Jose is +132 on the moneyline, which works out to about a 41% implied probability.

The under is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings between these teams, and the under is 5-1-1 in Boston’s last seven home games against a team with a losing road record.