Free Picks: New York Islanders vs. Boston Bruins

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.

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.

• 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 6^th in total goals against.