The people of the New York Islands are in a desperate situation.
With two straight wins and a soft schedule next week, the Isles will need to continue racking up points to stay in Eastern Conference playoff contention.
Saturday’s matchup with the Boston Bruins is not a must-win game for the Isles, but it would be a big boost if they can get two points before a packed schedule that sees them play five non-playoff teams in their next six games. There is a possibility that Go down the stretch.
As of this writing, the Bruins are -130 road favorites.
Islanders vs. bruins prediction
(7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Both the Islanders and Bruins are difficult to handicap at this point for a variety of reasons.
For the Bruins, it’s a question of whether their elite record is a true reflection of how good they are right now. As of Saturday morning, Boston has the third-best scoring percentage and goal differential in the NHL, but their process hasn’t been all that appealing lately. The Bs are 3-0-4 in their last seven games and have gone over regulation in seven of their last eight games.
The NHL’s regular season has had its ups and downs, and Boston has given up any doubt that this is just a blip, but it’s been a while since Boston looked like a Stanley Cup contender.
The Bruins can certainly get back on track in time for the postseason, but right now it’s worth considering Boston is 4-3-5 since All-Star Weekend, with just two regulation wins in that time. There is.
Boston’s 5-on-5 numbers during this downturn are no coincidence.
They’ve split expected goals at essentially even strength since the break, allowing more dangerous chances than all but one team in February (Winnipeg). Boston is creating chances, but this high-event style of hockey isn’t what we associate with the Bruins these days.
Islanders are a different story.
Although they are only 6-5-3 since Patrick Roy took over as head coach, it is clear that the Isles have improved in key areas. Most notably, the team has completely turned around defensively.
The Islanders were one of the league’s worst teams under coach Lane Lambert, but since Feb. 1, no team has allowed as many dangerous scoring chances at five-on-five as the Islanders.
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All of these things add up to a very difficult game.
Although the odds look about right, perhaps the easiest way to find value in betting is to take this contest to overtime.
The Islanders and Bruins have each played 22 overtime games this season, tied for the most in the NHL.
Bet: 60 Minute Draw (+350, FanDuel)
