The New York Islanders (27-12-4) and Boston Bruins (23-12-6) clash for the second straight night at TD Garden Friday. Puck drop will be at 7 p.m. ET for the second half of the back-to-back in Boston. Below, we analyze the Islanders-Bruins odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Bruins are fourth in the East Division and tenuously hold the division’s final playoff spot. They beat the Islanders 4-1 Thursday with LW Brad Marchand scoring twice, LW Taylor Hall scoring his first goal since being acquired at the trade deadline and with G Tuukka Rask stopping 22 of 23 shots in his return from an injury absence.
The Isles remain second in the East despite dropping two of their last three games, both by 4-1 scores. They’ve lost two or more games in a row just four times this season.
Boston’s win Thursday was its first through six games in the head-to-head season series.
Islanders at Bruins: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:10 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Islanders +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Bruins -125 (bet $125 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Islanders +1.5 (-275) | Bruins -1.5 (+220)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (O: +110 | U: -135)
Islanders at Bruins: Projected starting goalies
Ilya Sorokin (11-3-1, .915 SV%, 2.17 GAA) at Jeremy Swayman (3-1-0, .926 SV%, 2.22 GAA)
Sorokin is riding a personal three-game winning streak and stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced in a win over the New York Rangers Sunday. The rookie hasn’t faced Boston yet this season. His save percentage and goals against average drop to .901 and 2.73, respectively, when on the road.
Swayman should re-enter the crease Friday with Rask unlikely to make back-to-back starts fresh off the injured list. The 22-year-old from Alaska stopped 21 of 23 shots from the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday in his most recent outing.
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Islanders at Bruins: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Islanders 4, Bruins 3
Money line (ML)
The ISLANDERS (+105) have a significant advantage in the battle of backup goaltenders and should be backed as slight road underdogs.
The Bruins outshot the Islanders 45-23 and registered 58.82% of the total shot attempts at 5-on-5 Thursday. Boston has the better possession rate for the season, but New York registers a higher percentage of full-strength scoring chances.
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Against the spread (ATS)
PASS on the puck line with the value residing in the Islanders on the money line. The lean is to the Islanders +1.5 (-275) but not anywhere near this price with a $10 bet returning a profit of just $3.64.
Three of the six head-to-head meetings this season were decided by single-goal margins.
Over/Under (O/U)
OVER 5.5 (+110) is the play with both teams likely to be starting the lesser of their two goaltending options Friday.
Sorokin’s season numbers are excellent, but he has struggled slightly on the road and will face the hungry Bruins for the first time.
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