Previewing Thursday’s New York Islanders at Boston Bruins sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.
The New York Islanders (22-8-2) take on the Boston Bruins (21-7-7) Thursday at TD Garden. Puck drop is set for shortly after 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Islanders-Bruins sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Islanders at Bruins: Projected starting goalies
Semyon Varlamov vs. Tuukka Rask
Varlamov is 11-3-2 with a .923 save percentage and 2.37 goals against average through 16 starts and three relief appearances. He had been credited with three consecutive victories before giving up three goals on just nine shots in one period of play in Tuesday’s 8-3 blowout loss to the Nashville Predators.
Rask is 13-4-4 with a .923 SV% and 2.32 GAA. He gave up four goals on 27 shots Tuesday as the Bruins fell 4-3 to the Los Angeles Kings in overtime.
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Islanders at Bruins: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1:20 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Islanders 3, Bruins 2
Both teams are coming off home losses Tuesday with the Islanders falling to the Preds and the Bruins being upset by the Kings. Boston has lost six of seven overall, while New York had won three in a row before losing Tuesday.
Take the value with the visiting ISLANDERS (+150). The Bruins are 12-1-6 at home and the Islanders are 9-5-1 on the road, but New York enters as the much better team of late and shouldn’t be spotted such high odds.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Islanders to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $15.
The ISLANDERS (+1.5, -189) should also be backed on the spread, albeit with a smaller payout. They’ll need to stay within 1 goal in a loss or win outright.
New York is 15-17 ATS overall, but 8-7 ATS on the road. Boston is 18-17 ATS overall and 9-10 at home.
The 8 goals surrendered by the Islanders Tuesday were the most they’ve given up all year. The Bruins have scored 4 or more goals just once in their last 11 games. Take the UNDER 5.5 (-134) between two typically strong defensive clubs trying to bounce back.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 131-105
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