David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and the Boston Bruins will do battle against Brock Nelson, Mathew Barzal, and the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum for an Eastern Conference showdown. New England Sports Network will showcase the matchup, and the action gets going at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 29.

Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders Odds

Boston is 40-25 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.0 units for bettors taking the moneyline thus far. Through 65 regular season outings, 34 of its games have gone under the total, while 26 have gone over and just four have pushed. The Bruins are 18-13 SU as an away team in 2019-20.

Boston currently touts the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s found the net on 25.4 percent of its extra-man opportunities this year. Additionally, it has the fifth-best penalty kill in the league, and it’s successfully killed off 83.5 percent of its penalties..

With a .926 save percentage and 27.1 saves per game, Tuukka Rask (23-14-6) has been the best option in goal for Boston this year. If head coach Bruce Cassidy decides to rest him, however, Boston may go with Jaroslav Halak (17-13-6), who has a .917 save percentage and 2.44 goals against average this year.

On the other side of the ice, New York is 35-28 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 4.5 units this year. 34 of its games have gone under the total, while 25 have gone over and just three have pushed. The team is 20-12 SU at home this year.

The Islanders have converted on just 18.2 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 15th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.7 percent of all opponent power plays.

Semyon Varlamov (26.2 saves per game) has been the top option in goal for the Islanders. Varlamov has 20 wins, 21 losses, and five overtime losses to his name and has registered a .918 save percentage and 2.51 goals against average this year.

Boston Bruins at New York Islanders Betting Predictions

Prediction: SU Winner – Islanders, O/U – Under

Notes

Betting Notes

Six of New York’s last ten games have been decided by two or more goals. The team is 4-2 overall in those games.

The Islanders are 25-12 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Bruins are 14-8 SU in games where they serve more minutes than their opponent.

Boston is 0-7 in games decided by a shootout this season while New York is 3-2 in shootouts.

Boston skaters have averaged 11.2 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 10.0 giveaways per game (ranked 16th in the league).

New York is ranked 31st this season with 13.9 giveaways per game. That figure has improved recently, however, as it’s averaged 10.5 giveaways over its last 10 games and 12.4 giveaways over its last five.

This game features two of the more aggressive defenses in the league. Boston skaters have accounted for the eighth-most hits in the league (23.7 per game) while the Isles have recorded the third-most (28.0).