The New York Islanders (14-18-7) travel to face off against the Boston Bruins (20-17-4) on Sunday, January 5th. This game will be played at TD Garden in Boston and televised on ESPN+. The Bruins are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Islanders are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Rangers. Puck drop is set for 6:00 ET.

Islanders vs Bruins

The New York Islanders Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Islanders fell to 14-18-7 after a 5-2 loss to the Rangers. Entering the game as puck line underdogs, the total of 6 goals was surpassed with a combined 7 goals.

New York’s defense struggled, allowing the Rangers to score first at 16:16 in the first period. The Islanders didn’t get on the board until the second period, when Casey Cizikas scored at 15:22, cutting the Rangers’ lead to 2-1.

The Boston Bruins Are Coming Off A Win

Boston improved to 20-17-4 with a 2-0 win over the Kraken. The Bruins covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 2 goals fell short of the pre-game line of 6.

Both of Boston’s goals came in the first period, with Justin Brazeau scoring at 16:37 and Charlie Coyle adding another at 10:03. The Bruins’ defense held Seattle scoreless, allowing 23 shots in the game.

New York Offense Breakdown

The Islanders fired 37 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 5-2 loss to the Rangers. Casey Cizikas scored his first goal of the season, while Brock Nelson added his fifth, with just 8 seconds left in the second period.

New York had 23 giveaways and failed to capitalize on any power play opportunities. Pierre Engvall picked up his first assist of the season on Cizikas’ goal, and Simon Holmstrom recorded his fourth assist.

Bruins Offense Breakdown

Boston’s offense struck early in their 2-0 win over Seattle, with Justin Brazeau netting his 5th goal of the season just 3:23 into the game. Charlie Coyle followed with his 2nd goal, which came on a power play at the 10:03 mark of the first period.

Despite 33 shots on goal, the Bruins were held scoreless after the first period. They recorded 16 giveaways and added 4 assists, including Brad Marchand’s 7th of the season.

New York Team Defense

The Islanders’ defense allowed the first goal just 3:44 into the game and struggled to contain the Rangers late, giving up two more goals in the 3rd period. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves with an 89.7% save percentage, but the Islanders’ defense had difficulty closing the gap to 3-2, allowing the next goal at 14:42 in the 3rd period. They also gave up an empty net goal at 3:23.

Boston Team Defense

Boston’s defense was rock solid in their previous game, leading to a 2-0 win over the Kraken. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves with a 100% save percentage, while the Bruins’ defense added 5 takeaways and 15 hits. They also blocked 27 shots and didn’t allow a goal after taking a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Islanders vs Bruins Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Islanders have a straight up record of 1-4 while going 1-4 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 2 goals per game in these contests.
• In their last three home games, Boston has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 0. The team’s record in this stretch was 3-0 while going 3-0 vs. the spread.
• In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Bruins have a straight up record of 2-8 and an puck line mark of 4-6.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the favorite, the Islanders have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 1-4.

Islanders vs Bruins Prediction

For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Bruins to pick up on a win over the Islanders at home. With the moneyline sitting at -117, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Bruins straight-up.

If you’re looking for a puck line bet, I’d suggest going with the Islanders to cover. Even in the event of a Bruins victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Islanders should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.