New York snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over the New Jersey Devils, and they will now look to build some momentum. The Islanders come into this game with 70 points on the year, and they sit in fourth place in the East.
Boston is currently in third place in the East with 71 points on the year, and they are trying to hold off the Islanders. The Bruins have gone 11-4 in the last 15 games, and they will be heading into the postseason with some momentum.
The Boston Bruins are the favorites at -170 on Monday night, and the over/under is set at 5.5 total goals.
Islanders Slowing it Down
The Islanders have put together a great season by slowing things down on both ends of the ice. New York is scoring just 2.73 goals per game, but they are holding opponents to 2.22 goals on the defensive end of the ice.
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov has stopped 93 percent of the shots he has faced this season, and he sets the tone for New York. The Bruins don’t present a huge offensive challenge, but the Islanders will have to take care of the puck.
On the offensive end of the ice, center Mathew Barzal leads the team with 43 total points. New York will have to take advantage of every opportunity to find enough offense to win this game.
Boston Great on Special Teams
There isn’t much separation between the Bruins and Islanders, but Boston has been much better on special teams. The Bruins have killed off 86 percent of their penalties while also converting on 22 percent of their chances with the man advantage.
Center Brad Marchand has been one of the best players in the league this season, leading the team with 28 goals and 39 assists. Marchand has gotten plenty of help from his teammates, but he sets the tone for this team.
Goaltender Tuukka Rask has been solid in net this season, but he did give up five goals in his most recent outing. The Bruins will give up goals at times, but this team is solid on the defensive end.
Bruins Get Big Win
The East Division will be extremely competitive when the playoffs begin, but both the Bruins and Islanders want to finish in third place. New York looked to have this spot locked up for weeks, but the Bruins have gotten past them with a great run.
Don’t expect much offense in this game as neither team is scoring at least three goals per game. This will be a game that features some big hits, and puck possession will be extremely important.
Don’t expect much separation in this game, but it will be the home team that finds a way to get a late goal to secure the win. Bet the Boston Bruins -170 as they pick up a big win and stay in third place in the East Division.
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