There are six games on the docket Friday, and this matchup between the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders is the only one without a sizable favorite in the NHL odds.
Boston is without top-six center Pavel Zacha (upper body) and No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy (upper body) for the foreseeable future, and their absences were felt in Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils.
While New York also has impact defenders Adam Pelech (upper body), Ryan Pulock (lower body), and Scott Mayfield (upper body) out of action, I’m still expecting goals to be at a premium on Friday.
Both clubs will have a favorite in the Vezina Trophy odds patrolling the crease, and I’m anticipating both clubs keeping their cards close to their chests and playing conservatively to limit high-danger scoring chances.
Here are my free NHL picks for the Bruins vs. Islanders bout on Friday, December 15.
Bruins vs Islanders odds
Bruins vs Islanders predictions
Goaltending has been the key to success for the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders this season. They respectively rank first and third in five-on-five team save percentage, which has been monumental because neither club drives 5-on-5 possession. Boston sports a 21st-ranked 48.7 Corsi For percentage, and New York has been caved in, to the tune of a 29th-ranked 45.6% mark.
I’m also expecting the highlighted absences to be more detrimental to each team’s offense than their defense.
New York being without half of their blueliners is a huge blow, but the reinforcements are all capable NHLers. And in the case of Mike Reilly, a puck-mover with a high-shot volume. Still, these are replacement-level players, and playing a simple, defense-first game will be priority No. 1.
Turning to Boston, the Bruins only generated nine high-danger scoring chances against the Devils on Wednesday. And, the top two lines combined for a dismal 39.5 CF% at 5-on-5.
This 5.5 total also aligns with how I see this game playing out. Head coaches Jim Montgomery and Lane Lambert are going to be calling for their respective clubs to limit mistakes, play cautiously and lean on their elite goaltenders.
My best bet: 1st 10 minute total - Under 0.5 goals (+110 at bet365)
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Bruins vs Islanders same-game parlay
Under 0.5 goals — first 10 minutes
Under 6.5 goals
Hampus Lindholm Under 0.5 points
Noah Dobson Under 0.5 points
The first three legs of this same-game parlay are correlated with my best bet, and because I expect goals to be tough to come by, I’m adding two defensemen to miss the scoresheet Friday.
Hampus Lindholm will be playing against New York’s best players all night and has only registered a point in seven of 27 games this season. Additionally, he didn’t start a single five-on-five shift in the offensive zone Wednesday, and the vet doesn’t skate with the No. 1 power-play unit.
Noah Dobson will be the key.
He’s sizzling along an eight-game heater with 13 assists and is up to 29 points across 28 contests for the season. Still, Boston has allowed the fourth-fewest goals per 60 at 5-on-5 and rank No. 1 in penalty-kill percentage (90.1%). If you opt to remove Dobson from the parlay the odds move to +260.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Bruins vs Islanders moneyline and Over/Under analysis
This moneyline has shifted slightly to the New York side at bet365 since opening. Boston was a -130 favorite, and the Bruins are trading at -125 as of Friday afternoon. The total is interesting because sportsbooks are hanging 6.0 with the Under carrying the higher vig, but bet365 remains at 5.5 with the Over listed with more juice.
Bruins vs Islanders betting trend to know
The Under has hit in four of Boston’s past six games. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Islanders.
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Bruins vs Islanders game info
| Location: | UBS Arena, Elmont, NY |
| Date: | Friday, December 15, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NESN, MSG |
Bruins vs Islanders latest injuries
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