Looking to win big? The Penguins and Islanders face off at 7:00 ET on TNT. The Islanders are hosting the game at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. The Penguins are favored by -1.5 in this Metropolitan divisional contest against the Islanders. The game’s over/under currently sits at 5.5 goals.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS NEW YORK ISLANDERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New York Islanders +1.5

This game will be played at UBS Arena at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, April 17th.

WHY BET THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS:

  • With the Penguins being favored by 1.5, our NHL analytics models has this one playing out 4-3 in favor of the Penguins.
  • Take the Penguins on the moneyline
  • On the puck line, we like Islanders (+1.5)

Will Pittsburgh Secure A Victory as Road Favorites?

With just one game remaining in the regular season, the Penguins are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and 5th in the Metropolitan Division. Overall, Pittsburgh has a record of 38-31-12, including a mark of 23-26 against the Eastern Conference and 13-12 within the division. On the road, the Penguins are 15-17-8 this year.

Over their last ten games, the Penguins have gone 7-3, and they have won three straight games when favored. For the season, Pittsburgh has been favored in 47 of their 81 games, going 25-15-7 in those contests.

On the road this season, the Penguins have a puck line record of 20-20, and they are 39-42 overall. So far, Pittsburgh has 26 wins by multiple goals and has lost by multiple goals 22 times. Their average scoring differential for the year is +.1 goals per game, and they have gone 6-4 against the puck line in their last ten games.

As the favorite, the Penguins have a puck line record of 19-28, and they have been favored in 47 of their games this season. In their last three games, Pittsburgh’s puck line record is 1-2, and they are 3-0 against the puck line in their last three road games. So far, the team’s average scoring margin on the road is -.2 goals per game.

Games involving Pittsburgh have an average of 6.1 goals per game this season. Their average over/under line is 6.3. In terms of their over/under performance, the Penguins come in with a record of 35-40-6.

Across their last three road contests, Pittsburgh has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 3-0. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 4 goals per game.

The Penguins come into the game scoring an average of 3.1 goals per game, putting them 17th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 8th in the league. This season, the Penguins are 21-19 when getting more shots on goal than their opponents. And in games with fewer shots on goal, they have a 16-11 record.

Pittsburgh will be looking for a good game from Sidney Crosby who leads the team in scoring with 42 goals, ranking 11th in the NHL. Crosby also comes into the game with 50 assists.

Defensively, the Islanders are currently 4th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 32.4 shots per game against New York. They also are 16th in shutouts, coming in with 5 shutouts.

Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic gets the start and has made 32 starts this season. His record at this point is 18-6, and his save percentage is 0.678%.

Can New York Deliver Being Underdogs at Home?

At home this season, the Islanders have gone 20-10-10 and come into this game with a four-game winning streak at home. In the Eastern Conference, the Islanders are in 7th place and have gone 24-25 against conference opponents. Against the Metropolitan Division, the Islanders have gone 12-13 this season. Overall, the Islanders have gone 38-27-16 and have 92 points on the season. Over their last ten games, the Islanders have gone 8-2 and have won four of their last five games.

As the underdog this season, the Islanders have gone 18-14-10 and have been the underdog in 42 of their 81 games. In games where they have been the underdog, the Islanders have won five straight games. Against the Penguins this season, the Islanders have gone 2-1 and have gone 4-1 in their last five games.

At home, the Islanders have a puck line record of 17-23 and an average scoring margin of -.1 goals per game. So far, they have gone 41-40 against the puck line, including a mark of 2-1 in their last three games.

As the underdog, New York has a puck line record of 29-13, and their average scoring differential when not favored is -.5 goals per game. In their last 10 home games, the Islanders have gone 5-5 against the puck line.

For the season, the average number of goals per game in matchups featuring New York is 6.2. The season’s average over/under line is currently at 6. The Islanders come in with an over/under record of 41-35-5.

Pittsburgh has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 2. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 3-0.

Offensively, the Islanders come into the game at 3 goals per contest placing 23rd in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 18th position in the league. In terms of power play goals, the Islanders offense is 22nd in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they are 8th in the NHL.

New York’s leading goal scorer is Bo Horvat. So far this season, he has 33 goals, placing him 30th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 35 assists so far.

In terms of defense, the Islanders head into the game ranked 4th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 32.4 shots per game against New York. So far, they are 16th in shutouts, achieving 5 shutouts.

Goalie Ilya Sorokin gets the start and has made 54 starts this season. His record at this point is 24-19, and his save percentage is 0.983%.