Penguins vs Islanders: Preview & Betting Trends | Feb 20 Game

Odds

2021-2022 season stats

Preview

On Monday night, the New York Islanders will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Both teams are looking to rebound from recent losses, with the Islanders coming off a 6-2 loss to the Boston Bruins and the Penguins falling to the New Jersey Devils with a score of 5-2.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins have had a challenging season so far, with a record of 27-19-9. They have struggled defensively, giving up an average of 3.15 goals per game. However, they have a talented group of forwards, including Evgeni Malkin, who has scored 17 goals this season. The Penguins will need to tighten up their defense if they want to make a push for the playoffs.

In their last game against the New Jersey Devils, the Penguins struggled offensively, scoring only two goals on 31 shots. They will need to be more productive on offense if they want to win against the Islanders. Defensively, the Penguins will need to play better, as they have given up five goals in their last game.

The Penguins' goaltender, Dustin Tokarski, saved 38 of the 42 shots that he faced in his last game. However, Tristan Jarry (Upper Body), Mark Friedman (Upper Body), and Ryan Poehling (Upper Body) are questionable for this game, which could impact the team's performance.

In their last 10 games the Penguins are 4-6, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.6 assists, 4.6 penalties and 11.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

New York Islanders

The Islanders enter the game with a record of 28-24-7, placing them in fifth position in the East Division. They will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak on the road as they take on the Penguins. The Islanders have had an up-and-down season, struggling to find consistency in their play. However, they have a talented group of forwards, including Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee, who have each scored 13 goals this season. The Islanders' defense has also been solid, giving up an average of 2.78 goals per game.

In their last game against the Boston Bruins, the Islanders struggled defensively, giving up six goals in a 6-2 loss. They will need to tighten up their defense if they want to win against the Penguins. Offensively, the Islanders will need to be more consistent, as they have only averaged 2.90 goals per game this season.

The Islanders' goaltender, Semyon Varlamov, has played well this season, with a record of 10-7-2 in 19 games, a 2.82 GAA, and a .911 save percentage. However, Josh Bailey (Upper Body) is questionable for this game, which could impact the team's performance.

In their last 10 games the Islanders are 5-5, averaging 2.5 goals, 7.2 assists, 5.1 penalties and 12.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.

BETTING TRENDS

The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Islanders' last 5 games.

NY Islanders are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games.

NY Islanders are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games against Pittsburgh.

NY Islanders are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games on the road.

NY Islanders are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh.

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games against NY Islanders.

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games at home.

Pittsburgh are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against NY Islanders.

Prediction

Both teams are struggling to find consistency this season, which could make this game unpredictable. However, the Islanders have the advantage on defense, while the Penguins have the advantage on offense. If the Islanders can tighten up their defense and be more consistent on offense, they could come away with the win.

Ultimately, the Islanders have a slight edge in this matchup, given their better defensive record and the Penguins' recent struggles. If the Islanders can tighten up their defense and stay consistent on offense, they have a good chance of coming out on top.

PICK: Islanders ML (+135) 

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