NHL Best Bets: Bruins vs. Islanders Game Picks

Two teams looking to build off strong first halves are set to collide tonight, with the Boston Bruins visiting the New York Islanders.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Boston Bruins (-178) vs. New York Islanders (+146) Total: 5.5 (O-114, U-106)

It’s not often you see a team with a solid record like the Islanders have, sitting as home underdogs by the margin they are tonight. That shows you how much the Bruins are on a different level right now. Look no further than the 22-point gap in the standings between these two teams. The Bruins and Islanders already met once this season, which saw Boston pick up a 4-3 victory at home. 

This time around, the Islanders are set to host the game, and the Bruins are playing much better hockey once again. The B’s have posted a 7-1-2 record over their past ten games and have won two in a row, while the Isles are 4-4-2 over that same sample size. Boston is listed as a -178 favorite on the moneyline, while the Islanders are priced at +146. 

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the visiting Bruins are expected to start Linus Ullmark, while the Islanders should do the same with Ilya Sorokin. The Bruins netminder has posted a stellar 23-2-1 record, paired with a .936 save percentage, while Sorokin has been excellent too, sitting at 15-14-3, along with a .925 save percentage. It’s hard to give a significant edge to either goalie, but both are undoubtedly currently in the Vezina trophy conversation. 

It’s not the most appealing number to target on this Wednesday slate of games, but it’s hard to avoid looking in the Bruins direction with how well they’re playing, in addition to their overall consistency. With them still sitting above -200 on the moneyline, it’s worthwhile to still side with them in this matchup at -178. 

Best Bet: Bruins moneyline (-178)

This matchup currently has a low total set at just 5.5, with the over sitting at -114 and the under coming in at -106. The Bruins sit first in the NHL in goals allowed per game, while the Islanders are in the top ten in eighth. Knowing that, it makes complete sense why the oddsmakers are expecting a low-scoring affair. Over the Bruins past five games, four have seen six or more goals scored, while the Isles have seen that transpire in just one of their previous five. Even though we saw them combine for seven goals this year, that feels more like an outlier performance, meaning we should expect a lower-scoring affair here and side with the under 5.5 at -106. 

Best Bet: Under 5.5 (-106)

There’s a lot of offensive talent on this Bruins team as well as they also sit first in the NHL in goals scored per game. They found some nice depth in their top nine forward group, but their star talent has also continued to lead the way. Patrice Bergeron has put together another solid campaign, posting 35 points in 43 games. He likely has more to give offensively, but we know he’s bringing Selke-level defense to the table as well. The Bruins captain is currently priced at +192 to score tonight, which is too good to pass up. 

Best Prop: Patrice Bergeron to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+192)