NHL Best Bets: Islanders vs. Senators Game Picks

Two teams looking to find more consistency in the second half of the season collide tonight, with the Ottawa Senators hosting the New York Islanders.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

It was a solid start to the regular season for the New York Islanders, but things haven’t been as consistent over the last two months. As a result, they now find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, while the same goes for the Senators, who had much higher expectations. Injuries will always play a factor, but the Islanders and Sens have issues scoring goals, which is a significant reason why they’ve struggled. 

The Islanders are 1-6-3 record over their last ten games, while the Sens are slightly better at 4-6. Not much separates these teams on the moneyline, with the Sens listed as slight home favorites at -134 while the Isles are +112. 

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Islanders are expected to start Ilya Sorokin, while the Senators should continue leaning on Cam Talbot. The Isles netminder has posted a 15-16-4 record with a .922 save percentage, while Talbot is sitting at 11-13-1 with a .903 save percentage. Sorokin should have the edge in goal, but with both teams struggling to score, it might not make the most significant difference. 

The Senators are playing better, and there’s likely some value in backing them at home.

Best Bet: Senators moneyline (-134) 

Both teams have trouble scoring goals, with the Isles sitting 24th in goals scored per game while the Sens are 25th. That doesn’t inspire confidence for a high-scoring matchup, with the total set at six. Over the Isles’ last five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in three, while the Sens have also seen that in three games. Although that might make you look at the over, don’t be fooled and side with the under six at -104. 

Best Bet: Under six (-104) 

The Ottawa Senators were supposed to be one of the higher-scoring teams, but that hasn’t happened. Still, some players have performed admirably, specifically Brady Tkachuk. The big power forward has already tallied 47 points in 46 games, leading the team with six points over their last five games. With the Islanders boasting a big, physical defense, this is the type of matchup that Tkachuk usually thrives in, so there’s value in backing him to score at +164. 

Best Prop: Brady Tkachuk to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+164)