Welcome back to another NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word on Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, we will look at the New York Islanders taking on the Boston Bruins. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.
NHL Predictions
New York Islanders vs Boston Bruins
Time: 7:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: MSGSN, NESN, ESPN+
2024-25 Season Series: Islanders won 2-1
This matchup features two Eastern Conference opponents who are in similar positions early in the season. The Islanders are holding down fifth place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 4-3-1 through eight games. The Bruins sit last place in the Atlantic Division through 10 games with a record of 4-6. While it is early anytime you play an in-conference game, the points are always important. This will be the first of three matchups between these teams, with the first being in Boston at the TD Garden.
The Islanders’ Story
For the Islanders they come into this game after having their four-game winning streak snapped. This came from a 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Even in defeat, the offence held up its end, scoring those three goals. With the offence humming, they have moved up to third in the league in goals per game with 3.75. Team point leader Bo Horvat had his four-game point streak broken he still has nine in eight games. Mathew Barzal was also blanked last time, snapping his four-game point streak as well. Despite this, it has been a hot start for Barzal and Horvat this season; the plan to split them up on separate lines has worked like a charm thus far. The captain, Anders Lee, was able to stay hot; he extended his point streak to four with a helper.
On the other hand, the Islanders’ defence still has some things to clean up. They allow 3.38 goals per game, which ranks them 24th in the league. New York still also ranks number one in the NHL in high-danger shots allowed with 28. On a positive note, Marshall Warren made his NHL debut and looked good doing so. The 24-year-old picked up two apples, going down as his first and second professional points. In the net will be Ilya Sorokin, who has been better as of late after dropping his first three games. He is 2-0-1 in his last three outings with a 3.25 goals against average. Better, but he will still need to raise his play a little more if the Islanders want to go anywhere this season.
The Bruins’ Story
For the Bruins, this will be the second of a back-to-back. They have not been in great form lately, having recently gone through a six-game losing streak. Offensively, they are a middle-of-the-pack team. They rank 15th in goals per game with 3.20. The team leader in points is the always dangerous David Pastrnak. He is one of the best players in the league and has 13 points in 10 games. His linemate, Morgan Geekie, has been hot to start the season as well. He leads the team with six goals in the 10 games.
Defensively, the Bruins haven’t been up to their standards. They rank 25th in goals against with 3.50 per game. They also rank in the top 10 as far as high danger shots allowed. However, they do sport one of the best penalty kills in the game. That unit ranks eighth in the league with an 87.2% success rate. Their defensive struggles could continue as Hampus Lindholm, who has missed seven of the last eight games, was just moved to the IR. With starter Jeremey Swayman starting the first of the back-to-back. Boston will turn to backup Joonas Korpisalo in tonight’s game. Joonas hasn’t been great in his starts with a 1-3 record and .845 save percentage.
Prediction
Coming into this game, it feels like the Islanders hold most of the advantages. The offensive edge goes to the Islanders. Defensively, both teams have struggled, with a slight edge to New York. With the second of a back-to-back and Boston starting a backup goalie, the advantage in the net goes to the Islanders as well. The only thing going for the Bruins is that this game is at home. Even still, they have to travel from Canada back home to Boston as the first game of the back-to-back is on the road. All of the signs point to the Islanders being able to pick up a win here against a tired Boston team.
Prediction: Islanders win 4-3
Prop Bets
According to the popular sports books, the Islanders come into this game as the favourites. Their money line is at -130, and we would take that for this game. The over/under is set at 5.5. With the Islanders’ hot offence and the Bruins starting their backup goalie, we like the over at -130. As far as any time goal scorers, for the Islanders, take Mathew Barzal at +230. His line has been playing well, and after getting blanked last time, he should be due to find the back of the net here. For the Bruins, take Morgan Geekie at +210. He leads his team in goals and has been on a tear as of late. Look for him to continue his scoring ways in this game.
Main Photo: Bob DeChiara- Imagn Images
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