Two of the best teams in the NHL’s East Division laid eggs last night, as both the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins fell to their opponents, leading to a dismal evening on the wagering front. In Boston, the Islanders were manhandled by the Bruins in a game where the final score of 4-1 may not truly illustrate how dominant the B’s were. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the Penguins returned home following a lengthy road trip, only to see them drop a shootout decision to the floundering Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 2-1. With last night’s bets resulting in a couple of losses, here are two wagers from the National Hockey League’s Friday night slate that will hopefully get things back on track.
CALGARY FLAMES at MONTREAL CANADIENS (Canadiens -1.5, -136 ML, o/u 5.5)
The Calgary Flames continued their domination of the Montreal Canadiens in 2021 on Wednesday night, controlling the game throughout en route to a 4-1 victory at the Bell Centre in Montreal. On Friday night, they will have another opportunity to narrow the gap between themselves and the Canadiens, who desperately cling to the fourth and final playoff spot in the NHL’s North Division. Given the fact that Montreal has three games in-hand compared to Calgary, the Flames must continue to approach each of their final 13 games as if every one of them is a playoff game – especially the four remaining against the Canadiens. Montreal has lost five of their last seven games and suddenly cannot put the puck in the back of the net, averaging just 1.8 goals per game over their last five games. This stat coupled with the run Calgary netminder Jacob Markstrom is currently on (4-0 against Montreal this season, stopping 104 of 107 shots against) makes the Flames’ moneyline odds of +115 on PointsBet appear intriguing.
Prediction: Flames 3 – Canadiens 2
[[ad:athena]]
NEW YORK ISLANDERS at BOSTON BRUINS (Bruins -1.5, -121 ML, o/u 5)
After being entirely outclassed by the Bruins in Boston last night, the Islanders have an opportunity to show some championship-caliber heart by answering with a counterpunch in the second of back-to-backs this evening. Despite a horrific 0-6 (-6 units via EDGE Finder) record on the road following a loss, the Islanders own a record of 4-2 in the second half of back-to-backs this season. Given how putridly they performed last night, it is hard to imagine New York playing that poorly again in this spot, and perhaps the Bruins’ change in net from Tuukka Rask to rookie Jeremy Swayman will help their cause. Boston is just 4-7 (-3.94 units) this season at home following a victory, and, overall, they have not been the most consistent team throughout the 2021 campaign. At +100 (PointsBet) on the moneyline, it is worth gambling on the Islanders’ ability to answer the call and come back with an emphatic response in Boston on Friday evening.
Prediction: Islanders 3 – Bruins 2
Editor’s Note: Get an edge with our premium Betting Tools that are packed with live odds, betting trends, predictions, player prop projections, our extensive Edge Finder and much more. And don’t forget to use promo code WELCOME10 to get 10% off. Click here to learn more!
THE PLAYS
- Calgary Flames ML (+115 on PointsBet)
- New York Islanders ML (+100 on PointsBet)
PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner, and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
