Two Eastern Conference clubs are looking to continue their recent solid play, with the New York Islanders hosting the Ottawa Senators.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Ottawa Senators (+168) vs. New York Islanders (-205) Total: 6 (O -118, U -104)It hasn’t been a picture-perfect season for the Sens or Isles, but they’ve found more consistency in February. The Sens are playing for the consecutive night, while the Islanders will look to take advantage of some tired legs that also had to travel. Ottawa has a 6-4 record over their last ten games, while the Islanders are 4-4-2.
This will be the second meeting of the year between the clubs, the first matchup seeing the Sens pick up a 2-1 victory. Tonight’s contest has the Islanders as sizable favorites on the moneyline at -205, while the visiting Sens are +152. It’s hard to win on a back-to-back with travel, so it’s reasonable to fade the Sens.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Sens are expected to start Mads Sogaard, while the Islanders should counter with Ilya Sorokin. The Sens netminder has a 1-0 record with a .925 save percentage, while Sorokin is 17-17-4 with a .923 save percentage. With little to no NHL experience, the Sens’ goalie is playing for a consecutive night because of injuries in their crease. It’s hard not to give the Isles a significant advantage in the net.
The Islanders are looking to get back into the playoff mix, and this is the kind of game they need to win to do so. There’s no value in considering their moneyline odds, but their puck line price is reasonable, something bettors should consider at +126.
Best Bet: Islanders Puck Line -1.5 (+126)
These teams are in the bottom third of most categories, except the Islanders are eighth in goals allowed. Defense and goaltending have been a significant strength for New York, which is why they’ve stayed competitive. Over the Sens’ last five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in four, while the Isles have seen that in just two. There’s not enough offensive talent to feel comfortable with the over, so the under is the direction we’ll lean in.
Best Bet: Under six (-104)
The Isles don’t score at a high clip, but one of their most productive forwards is Mathew Barzal. The speedy forward has 48 points in 55 games and leads the club with three goals over their last five. Even though they don’t score at the highest clip, there’s value in looking toward Barzal to find the back of the net tonight at +240.
Best Prop: Mathew Barzal to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+240)
