In their first head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders collide at the Barclays Center. The game gets started at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 7, and fans at home can catch this Metropolitan Division matchup live on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders Odds
New York (-125) is being labeled as the favorite over Pittsburgh (+105). If you want to put some action on the matchup’s Over/Under (O/U) total, you’ll be looking at -115 for over 6 goals and +-105 for under under..
The Islanders are 11-3 straight-up (SU) and have earned 7.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. That winning percentage, strongest in the league so far in the early season, is a solid improvement compared to how the team performed during last year’s regular season (48-34). Among the team’s 14 games this season, six have gone under the total, while six have gone over and none have pushed. The team’s 7-2 SU at home this year.
New York has converted on 21.7 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated 10th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 85.0 percent of all penalties.
New York, as a collective unit, has been penalized 3.5 times per game this season, a number that’s pretty close to last year’s 3.3 penalties per game the team gave up. After serving an average of 7.8 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team has had to stave off opponent power plays for 9.3 minutes per matchup this season.
Sporting a .937 save percentage and 27.8 saves per game, Thomas Greiss (6-2) has been the best goalkeeper for the Islanders this year. If the Isles decide to give him a rest, however, it could go with Semyon Varlamov (5-2-2 record, .929 save percentage, 2.14 goals against average).
Josh Bailey and Mathew Barzal will both lead the charge for the Islanders. Bailey (12 points) has tallied six goals and six assists and has recorded multiple points four times this year. Barzal has six goals and five assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in eight contests.
On the visitors’ side of the ice, Pittsburgh is 8-7 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.5 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. Through 15 regular season contests, eight of its games have gone under the total, while six have gone over and just one has pushed. As a road team so far, Pittsburgh is 3-3 SU.
Pittsburgh has converted on just 14.0 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that places it in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked fifth overall and it’s successfully killed off 86.5 percent of all opponent power plays.
Pittsburgh’s skaters have been called for penalties only 2.9 times per game this season, a number that has improved from the 3.4 penalties per game given up a year ago. After serving an average of 8.3 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 6.9 minutes per outing this season.
Matt Murray (24.8 saves per game) has been the main option in goal for Pittsburgh. Murray has seven wins, five losses, and one OT loss to his credit, while registering a .917 save percentage and 2.36 goals against average this year.
For the visiting Penguins, the offense will be heavily coordinated by Sidney Crosby, who has 12 assists and five goals this year.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders Betting Predictions
Free Pick: SU Winner – Islanders, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- For both of these teams, the game went over the total in three of their last five matchups.
- The Penguins have averaged the league’s fourth-most shots on goal (34.5) while New York has attempted the 31st-most (only 27.4).
- The Islanders are 10-2 SU in games where they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Penguins are 4-2 SU when they spend more time in the box than the opposition.
- After going 5-5 in games decided by a shootout last year, New York is off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this season. Pittsburgh was 2-3 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
