We have 12 NHL games on the slate today and our team of experts have come up with three picks they are targeting tonight.
Here are our NHL predictions and picks.
NHL Predictions | Thursday, February 27
| Time (ET) | Pick | |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Islanders vs. Bruins
By Ryan Sura
I think this is the best time to buy low on the sinking Bruins. After suffering their third straight home loss on Tuesday, this is where they bounce back.
The Islanders recently beat the Bruins at TD Garden, 5-4 in overtime. New York nearly blew a 4-2 lead after two late goals by David Pastrnak, but was able to barely squeak by in overtime, and that was with Boston starting its backup goaltender, Joonas Korpisalo.
Jeremy Swayman should get the nod tonight and while he is having a down year, he is still putting up solid home numbers: .912 SV%, 2.49 GAA, and three shutouts.
The Islanders had the sixth-most wins in the month of January at 9-3-0, but they were very reliant on their spectacular goaltending. Over that time frame, Ilya Sorokin led all goalies in Goals Saved Above Expected with 15. He also posted a .940 SV%, and 1.70 GAA. Not to mention, New York’s backup Magnus Hogberg had a .946 SV% and 1.26 GAA in four starts in January.
However, since then the Islanders' goalie play has regressed back to the mean. Since February 7th, Sorokin has a .820 SV% and 5.02 GAA. TD Garden has also not been kind to Sorokin as he is 1-2-1 with .892 SV% and 3.26 GAA there in his career.
Both of these teams are 0-2 following the break, but Boston has been part of two close, competitive, overtime games, while the Isles have been outscored 9-4 in their two losses. I can’t see Boston losing four straight at home against a divisional rival that they lost to in overtime at TD Garden less than two months ago.
Pick: Bruins Moneyline
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Sharks vs. Canadiens
Montreal vs San Jose is a matchup of two fairly young teams who know how to score in bunches but lack on the back end.
That said, I am loving the over in this game.
The Canadiens and Sharks both rank in the bottom 10 of goals against in their last 10 games. The Sharks rank last at 4.13 goals allowed per game, while Montreal ranks seventh-worst at 3.5 goals per game allowed.
If you zoom out and look on the season, you get the worst and fourth-worst ranked defenses in hockey, with both allowing over 3.5 goals per game on the season.
Sharks games have seen 37 goals across their last five road games, good for nearly nine per game, while Montreal games have gone over in four of their last six with 39 goals across their last six.
Goaltending has been a pain point for both teams here this season and while no goalie is confirmed as of this writing, I think both teams will struggle in net today, helping us get there.
Pick: Over 5.5
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Flyers vs. Penguins
We will ride with the home team tonight. The season has been disappointing for Pittsburgh, but the Penguins have played their best hockey on their home ice.
Philadelphia has struggled on the road this season and has posted a record of 13-28 as a betting underdog.
The Flyers will continue their struggles as dogs tonight.
Pick: Penguins Moneyline
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