Two teams looking to improve their regular season standing will collide tonight, with the New York Islanders visiting the Minnesota Wild.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
New York Islanders (+118) vs. Minnesota Wild (-142) Total: 5.5 (O +116, U -142)There’s a lot of positivity surrounding these clubs as they continue to climb the standings. This will be their second and final matchup, the first being a 3-1 Wild win on the road. Minnesota is the favorite on the moneyline at -142, while New York is a slight underdog at +118.
Entering this contest, the Islanders have posted a strong 5-3-2 record over their last ten games, while the Wild are 6-2-2.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Islanders are expected to start Ilya Sorokin, while the Wild should counter with Filip Gustavsson. The Islanders netminder has a 20-18-5 record with a .925 save percentage. It’s been a surprise first year with the Wild for Gustavsson, posting a 15-8-3 record with a .928 save percentage.
It’s hard to give a significant advantage in the net with solid play from both goaltenders. The Wild have been more consistent and should cause problems for an Islanders team that struggles to score. As a result, target the home side on the moneyline at -142.
Best Bet: Wild moneyline (-142)
With the defensive prowess of both clubs and the limited offense we saw in their first contest, it’s hardly a surprise the total is at 5.5. Both teams sit in the top ten in goals allowed per game and are in the bottom third of the league in goals scored per game. Over the last five games for the Islanders, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in two, while the Wild have seen that in just one. With the under juiced, we feel comfortable backing it at -142 and settling in for a low-scoring affair.
Best Bet: Under 5.5 (-142)
Even with a defensive contest, there are goal-scorers showing value. Kirill Kaprizov has been on fire, leading the Wild with six goals and one assist over their last five games. He’s already up to 71 points over 60 games. Kaprizov is slightly juiced to score tonight at -110, but there’s enough value to warrant consideration.
Best Prop: Kirill Kaprizov to Record Over 0.5 Goals (-110)
