The Islanders open their season with a trip to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins, who are already 1-0 thanks to a win over the listless Rangers on Tuesday evening.
The Penguins did not look like world-beaters in that 3-0 win, but they did put together a solid defensive effort in front of Arturs Silovs, who stopped all 25 shots he faced in his Pittsburgh debut.
The Pens made it easy on Silovs in crunch time, holding the Blueshirts to just five shots on goal in the final frame.
It was an encouraging effort from the Penguins, who are projected to be one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, but one that had as much to do with their rudderless opponent as anything else.
Islanders vs. Penguins odds, prediction
The Penguins were able to skate out of Madison Square Garden with two points thanks to an impressive defensive display and standout goaltending.
That will have to be the recipe for success in Pittsburgh this season, as the Pens just don’t have the offensive pop to engage in high-event contests.
Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson and Evgeni Malkin can still wreck a game on their own, but their supporting cast is thin.
The Islanders, meanwhile, are as deep up front as they’ve been in years, but the defense could be a concern.
Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat will be the main drivers for the Isles up front, but they should get plenty of help from Anders Lee, Kyle Palmieri, Jonathan Drouin and Simon Holmstrom.
Things could get even rosier if Maxim Shabanov, Anthony Duclair, Emil Heineman and Max Tsyplakov make good on their potential.
Betting on the NHL?
The blueline does not look as robust.
Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are years removed from being one of the best shutdown pairings in the NHL, while the duo of Tony DeAngelo and Alex Romanov could be an adventure.
Matthew Schaefer is expected to be a wunderkind, but this is his NHL debut. Hard to know what to expect out of the No. 1 overall pick right away.
Pittsburgh’s lack of offensive bite could let the Islanders off the hook defensively, but it’s easy to see how the Penguins have some success against what projects to be an underwhelming blueline.
The same goes for the Isles, who profile as a four-line team with an underrated amount of offensive firepower.
I think this game ultimately opens up, which favors the Islanders. It also lands us on the Over 5.5, which seems way too short given the stylistic matchup expected Thursday.
The Play(s): Islanders ML (-122, FanDuel) | Over 5.5 (-122, FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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