Boston Bruins at New York Islanders Game 4 odds, picks and prediction
The Boston Bruins and New York Islanders play Game 4 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs second-round series Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Below, we analyze the Bruins-Islanders odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Bruins scratched out a scintillating 2-1 overtime victory in Game 3, flipping the script from Game 2, while wrestling back home-ice advantage from the Islanders. It was the first Under result of the series.
The Islanders saw their run of three consecutive Over results come to a close.
Bruins at Islanders: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports' betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:10 a.m. ET.
- Money line : Bruins -155 (bet $155 to win $100) | Islanders +125 (bet $100 to win $125)
- Against the spread/ATS : Bruins -1.5 (+180) | Islanders +1.5 (-225)
- Over/Under : 5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Bruins at Islanders: Projected starting goalies
Tuukka Rask (15-5-2, 2.28 GAA, .913 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Semyon Varlamov (19-11-4, 2.04 GAA, .929 SV%, 7 SO). Stats from regular season.
Rask made 28 saves in the 2-1 overtime victory Thursday. It was the fifth time in eight playoff games that he has been tasked with going into overtime. He is 3-2 in those games, losing Game 2 of this series in OT at home.
Varlamov was spectacular in Game 3 despite the loss, allowing just two goals on 41 shots. Bruins C Craig Smith got him early in the first period, scoring at the 5:52 mark. He didn't allow another goal until LW Brad Marchand's winner in the extra session at 3:36.
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Bruins at Islanders: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Islanders 3, Bruins 2
Money line (ML)
The ISLANDERS (+125) are plus-money at home and the value play here, although I picked them in Game 3 and was bitten.
The public is siding with the Isles, too, but just slightly. It isn't enough to scare me and go the other way. Varlamov was 12-3-3 with a 1.87 GAA and .937 SV% with four shutouts during the regular season on the Island. I don't see him losing back-to-back starts on home ice.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Islanders +1.5 (-225) are a little on the expensive side. While they cashed on the puck line, and not the money line, in Game 3, I still don't like risking more than two times my return. There is just no value. If you like the Isles like I do, just play them straight.
PASS.
Over/Under (O/U)
The O/U 5 (O: -110 | U: -110) should come down right on the number in Game 4. I expect a little more offense than Game 3 but not end-to-end action.
A better play is UNDER 5.5 (-190) on the alternate line, although you'll pay nearly two times your return for the hook (or extra half-goal).
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