The Boston Bruins (27-24-8) welcome the New York Islanders (25-23-7) to TD Garden on Thursday night in what promises to be a pivotal matchup for both teams' playoff aspirations.
Both Eastern Conference contenders enter the contest struggling to find consistency, with the Bruins looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss to Toronto while the Islanders aim to recover from a disappointing 5-1 defeat against the Rangers.
The historical edge belongs to Boston, who holds a commanding 7-2-1 record in the last 10 meetings between these teams, though the Islanders claimed victory in their most recent encounter with a 5-4 overtime win on January 5.
David Pastrnak continues to lead the Bruins' offensive charge with 30 goals on the season, while the Islanders look to overcome their league-worst power play efficiency of 11.3%.
The TD Garden has proven to be a fortress for the Bruins this season, boasting an impressive 18-9-5 home record, while the Islanders maintain a respectable 12-12-5 mark on the road.
With both teams separated by just five points in the wild card race and recent matchups producing high-scoring affairs, Thursday's showdown could prove decisive in shaping the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Boston Bruins vs New York Islanders matchup, our predictive model gives the Bruins a 50.33% chance of defeating the Islanders.
Pre-game probabilities
Boston Bruins
Moneyline
Win %
50.33%
49.67%
New York Islanders
Boston Bruins: 50.33% win probability
- Better offensive output (163 goals for vs Islanders' 156)
- Higher points total in standings (62 points vs Islanders' 57)
- More wins on the season (27 wins vs Islanders' 25)
New York Islanders: 49.67% win probability
- Poor recent form (LLLLW in last 5 games)
- Lower scoring efficiency (156 goals in 57 games, 2.74 goals per game)
- Negative goal differential (-15 goals on the season)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Boston Bruins | New York Islanders | |
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Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders preview
The TD Garden is set to host a crucial Eastern Conference matchup as the struggling Boston Bruins (27-24-8) welcome the New York Islanders (25-23-7) in what could be a pivotal game for both teams' playoff aspirations.
Both teams enter Thursday's contest looking to bounce back from recent setbacks, with the Islanders coming off a disappointing 5-1 loss to the Rangers, while the Bruins let a three-goal lead slip away in a 5-4 overtime defeat to Toronto.
The Bruins have maintained historical dominance in this rivalry, holding a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 meetings, though the Islanders did secure a 5-4 overtime victory in their most recent encounter on January 5.
Boston's offensive leaders David Pastrnak, who recently notched his 30th goal of the season, and Brad Marchand will look to exploit an Islanders penalty kill unit that ranks 31st in the league with a concerning 70.2% success rate.
The Islanders' offensive struggles continue to be a major concern, ranking 27th in goals per game (2.70), though Alexander Romanov showed signs of life with a goal in their last outing.
Between the pipes, Jeremy Swayman is expected to start for Boston, bringing a respectable .913 career save percentage, while Ilya Sorokin looks to redeem himself for the Islanders after being pulled in his last start.
Despite both teams' offensive challenges, their head-to-head matchups have consistently produced high-scoring affairs, with the over hitting in seven of their last ten meetings.
The Bruins' home-ice advantage could prove decisive, as they've maintained a solid 18-9-5 record at TD Garden this season, while the Islanders have struggled to find consistency on the road with a 12-12-5 mark.
With both teams fighting for wild card positioning in the Eastern Conference, this matchup carries significant playoff implications as we approach the final stretch of the regular season.
Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders form
Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders head to head
Boston Bruins
67%
New York Islanders
33%
Jan 5, 2025
Boston Bruins
4 : 5
New York Islanders
Nov 28, 2024
New York Islanders
3 : 6
Boston Bruins
Mar 3, 2024
New York Islanders
5 : 1
Boston Bruins
Dec 16, 2023
New York Islanders
4 : 5
Boston Bruins
Nov 10, 2023
Boston Bruins
5 : 2
New York Islanders
Feb 18, 2023
Boston Bruins
6 : 2
New York Islanders
