NHL Odds: Bruins-Islanders prediction, pick, how to watch
The Boston Bruins will head to Long Island to take on the New York Islanders at UBS Arena tonight. We’re here to deliver our NHL odds series and deliver a Bruins-Islanders prediction, as well as how to watch this battle.
On Monday, the Bruins dominated the Philadelphia Flyers 6-0 at the TD Garden. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each had two goals and an assist. Meanwhile, David Krejci added three helpers. Goalie Jeremy Swayman delivered a perfect night with 29 saves. Moreover, the Bruins helped their case by winning 63 percent of their faceoffs. Boston also went 1 for 2 on the powerplay and killed off all six penalties.
On Monday, the Islanders fell 4-3 in overtime to the Washington Capitals at home. The Isles led 3-0 and looked to be on their way to an easy victory. However, the Capitals answered back with two second-period goals to cut the deficit. T.J. Oshie tied it in the third frame to send it into overtime. Then, Dmitry Orlov finished the comeback with a goal to send the Islanders home. The Islanders struggled in the faceoff circle, winning only 43 percent of their draws. Additionally, they went 0 for 1 on the powerplay and allowed 35 shots.
The Bruins come into this game with a 34-5-4 record. Likewise, they are 13-4-1 on the road. The Bruins have gone 7-2-1 over their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Islanders enter the game with a 23-18-4 mark. The Islanders are 13-7-2 at the UBS Arena. Likewise, they are 4-4-2 over their previous 10 games. The Islanders are 6-3-1 over the last 10 games against the Bruins. Also, they are 8-2 in the last 10 battles played at UBS Arena.
Here are the Bruins-Islanders NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Bruins-Islanders Odds
Boston Bruins: -1.5 (+140)
New York Islanders: +1.5 (-172)
Over: 5.5 (-110)
Under: 5.5 (-110)
How To Watch Bruins vs. Islanders
TV: TNT and NESN
Stream: NHL
Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Bruins Could Cover The Spread
The Bruins are the best team in the NHL. Ultimately, there is no dispute about that right now by looking at the records and the stats. Pastrnak continues to lead the offense with 35 goals and 27 assists, including 13 conversions on the powerplay. Also, Brad Marchand has 14 goals and 26 assists, with seven powerplay goals. Patrice Bergeron has 16 goals and 19 assists, with six powerplay snipes. Finally, Krejci has 11 goals and 23 assists, with three markers on the powerplay. The four lead a Boston offense that is the best in the league in goals, sixth in shooting percentage, and third on the powerplay.
The Bruins have a spectacular offense. Additionally, they have elite goaltending and defense. Linus Ullmark is 23-2-1 with a goals-against average of 1.92 and a save percentage of .936. Moreover, Swayman now is 10-3-3 with a goals-against average of 2.35 and a save percentage of .912. Who is going to score on either goaltender?
The defense is the best in the NHL in goals allowed, ranking first. Moreover, they are the best team in the league on the penalty kill. Boston plays incredibly suffocating defense, making it difficult for any offense to convert on their chances.
The Bruins could cover the spread if they get opportunities on the powerplay. Then, they can build themselves a lead, and let the defense and goaltending handle the rest.
Why The Islanders Could Cover The Spread
The Islanders are not at the level the Bruins are. However, they still are a good team. Mathew Barzal has 11 goals and 30 assists, with three goals on the powerplay. Furthermore, Brock Nelson has 15 goals and 24 assists, with three snipes on the powerplay. Anders Lee has 15 goals and 15 assists, with four powerplay snipes. Also, Noah Dobson has 10 goals and 17 assists, with three conversions on the powerplay. But these four need to do more. Unfortunately, the Islanders rank 20th in both goals and shooting percentage. New York also ranks 27th on the powerplay. Ultimately, they must find ways to score against the best defense in the league.
Goaltending and defense have performed relatively well. Ultimately, it has kept the team afloat. Ilya Sorokin is 15-14-3 with a goals-against average of 2.30 and a save percentage of .925. Additionally, Semyon Varlamov is 8-4-1 with a goals-against average of 2.75 and a save percentage of .913. They anchor a team that is 10th in goals allowed and sixth on the penalty kill.
The Islanders could cover the spread if they avoid making mistakes and do not take penalties. Therefore, they must shut down Pastrnak and find creative solutions to get the puck into the net.
Final Bruins-Islanders Prediction & Pick
Both teams play great defense. Likewise, there won’t be much scoring. Expect a tight, low-scoring game, as the Bruins-Islanders likely battle to a 2-1 finish.
Final Bruins-Islanders Prediction & Pick: Under: 5.5 (-110)
