Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins Picks and Predictions January 11th 2025

Jesper Boqvist, Panthers Look to Add to Bruins’ Misery

The Florida Panthers, buoyed by the red-hot form of Jesper Boqvist, will aim to extend their dominance over the struggling Boston Bruins when the teams meet Saturday afternoon in Sunrise, Fla.

Boqvist Sparks Panthers

Boqvist, a 26-year-old Swedish forward, has found his scoring touch with four goals in his past five games. This surge has helped him reach nine goals on the season, earning praise from head coach Paul Maurice for his versatility and competitiveness. “He’s earned it,” Maurice said. “You like to reward guys who have played hard and have set themselves up for a strong second half of the season.”

Today’s NHL Picks Are In! Get your game plan with NHL expert picks today.

Florida’s offense continues to be led by a dynamic core of Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, and Carter Verhaeghe. Reinhart leads the team in both goals (23) and points (47), while Tkachuk (14 goals, 38 points) and Barkov (11 goals, 25 assists) provide additional firepower. Bennett (13 goals) and Verhaeghe (10 goals) round out the team’s offensive depth.

On defense, the Panthers rely heavily on their goaltending duo of Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight. Bobrovsky boasts an 18-9-1 record with a 2.69 goals-against average, while Knight has a 7-6-1 record with a 2.80 GAA.

The Panthers hold a 2-0-0 edge over Boston this season, having won 6-4 on Oct. 8 and 4-3 on Oct. 14. Florida enters Saturday’s game fresh off a 4-1 road victory against the Utah Grizzlies.

Bruins in Freefall

The Bruins, meanwhile, are reeling from a six-game losing streak (0-5-1). Their most recent setback, a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, left Boston searching for answers. The Bruins haven’t won since Dec. 28, and their offense has produced just one goal in their past two games.

David Pastrnak remains Boston’s offensive leader with 17 goals, 25 assists, and 42 points. Pastrnak has been a rare bright spot, scoring four goals in the team’s past four games. Captain Brad Marchand, however, has struggled mightily, failing to score in eight straight games while tallying just three assists during that stretch.

Want To Stay Ahead Of The Game?

Start With NHL Expert Insights Today!

Join Now!

Forward Morgan Geekie expressed frustration with the team’s recent performances. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot time and time again,” Geekie said. “We have to figure it out in our locker room. … I believe in each and every one of our guys.”

Key Players to Watch

• Charlie McAvoy: The All-Star defenseman leads Bruins blueliners with five goals and 14 assists. However, Boston will need more from its defensive core to snap out of this slump.
• Jeremy Swayman: The 26-year-old goaltender signed a massive eight-year, $66 million extension in October but has struggled this season with a 13-15-3 record, a 2.92 GAA, and a .893 save percentage—all career lows.

Game Outlook

The Panthers will look to exploit the Bruins’ defensive lapses and inconsistent goaltending as they aim to make it three straight wins against Boston this season. Meanwhile, the Bruins need their stars, particularly Marchand and Swayman, to find their form if they hope to snap their six-game losing streak.