Free Picks: New York Islanders vs. Boston Bruins

Patrick Trudeau
By: Patrick Trudeau
03/10/2021
NHL Free Picks – Best Bets of the Week
Islanders vs Bruins NHL
New York Islanders vs. Boston Bruins, NHL, Nassau Coliseum

There is so much talent presented in every NHL game. However, if you tuned into an Islanders game or a Bruins contest, you’d quickly learn what it’s like to play elite defense. Boston and New York are two of the strongest teams in their own end. That knowledge has greatly impacted my pick for this game as I look at the total goals.

The New York Islanders can do no wrong.

In recent games, the Islanders have put on a clinic against their NHL opposition. Winners of their past 5 games, the Islanders have been defensive genies over their winning streak.

So, how is it that a team that has won 5 straight games is deemed the underdog? Entering their Tuesday night contest against the Bruins, Boston rolls into Nassau Coliseum as the favorites.

The Bruins are coming off a 1-0 loss to the Devils, and have only scored 6 goals in their past three games.

I think this game has the makings of a low-scoring affair. New York and Boston are two of the strongest defensive teams in the league, which has me focusing on the total goals for this free NHL pick.

On the surface, the Islanders’ offense is buzzing right now. Their offense alone would be enough to hit the over in total goals. New York has scored 5 goals in three consecutive games. However, that was against the Buffalo Sabres – one of the worst defensive teams in the entire league.

The Islanders have torched the Bruins earlier this season, winning 7-2 and 4-2 respectively. Their first game of the season resulted in a 1-0 shutout victory for the Islanders as well.

New York has defeated the Bruins in all three of their meetings this season, yet they are still listed as the underdog. This shows how respected the Bruins are to bookmakers.

The Bruins and Islanders smother opposing offenses. This season, Boston and New York rank 2nd and 3rd in shots against per game, respectively.

Jaroslav Halak and Ilya Sorokin will get the nod for their clubs. With these two in net, coupled with the fact that these teams are gifted in the defensive end, I think the final score will be low scoring.

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FREE PICK: Total Goals UNDER 5.5
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Stats

  • The under has cashed in 7 of last 10 meetings between BOS/NYI.
  • The Bruins have scored 4 goals over 3 games against New York this season.
  • The Islanders are undefeated in regulation at home this season.
  • New York is ranked 6th in total goals against.

have always wanted to be a writer and sports are my favorite thing in the world, so I combined the two to make a career. I have been a long-time gambler and sports betting writer that isn't afraid to look at the underdog or specials. I am covering the NHL, MLB and NCAA Football for BetPicks.ca and am a huge fan of both sports - as well as many others. Follow me on Twitter (@Patrick_Trudeau) so we can talk betting, sports, or why ketchup DOES belong on Poutine.

NHL Eastern Metropolitan

 

TeamWLOT%
1Carolina54208.707
2NY Rangers52246.671
3Pittsburgh462511.628
4Washington442612.610
5NY Islanders373510.512
6Columbus37387.494
7New Jersey27469.384
8Philadelphia254611.372

 

NHL Eastern Atlantic

TeamWLOT%
1Florida58186.744
2Toronto54217.701
3Tampa Bay51238.671
4Boston51265.652
5Buffalo323911.457
6Detroit324010.451
7Ottawa33427.445
8Montréal224911.335

 

NHL - Western Central

TeamWLOT%
1Colorado56197.726
2Minnesota53227.689
3St Louis492211.665
4Dallas46306.598
5Nashville45307.591
6Winnipeg393211.543
7Chicago284212.415
8Arizona25507.348

 

NHL - Western Pacific

TeamWLOT%
1Calgary502111.677
2Edmonton49276.634
3Los Angeles442711.604
4Vegas43318.573
5Vancouver403012.561
6San Jose323713.470
7Anaheim313714.463
8Seattle27496.366

 

2021-22 Season
Regular season beginsOctober 12
All-Star & Winter Games breakFebruary 3-22
Trade deadlineMarch 21
Final day of regular seasonApril 29
Stanley Cup Playoffs beginMay 2
Last possible day for PlayoffsJune 30
2022 NHL DraftJuly 7