NHL Best Bets: Maple Leafs vs. Islanders Game Picks

The New York Islanders look to continue holding an Eastern Conference playoff spot when they welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

The Eastern Conference’s two wild card positions are coming down to the wire in a three-team race headlined by the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Isles are set to face off with the Maple Leafs for the third time this season, which has seen both teams pick up a win. Toronto’s listed as the road favorite on the moneyline at -128, while the Isles are +106. 

Entering this matchup, the Maple Leafs have won two straight games, sitting at 6-3-1 over their last ten games. The Isles have also won two in a row and have the same record over that sample size.

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Maple Leafs should have Matt Murray between the pipes, while the Islanders will counter with Ilya Sorokin. The Maple Leafs’ netminder has a 13-7-2 record with a .905 save percentage, while Sorokin is 25-19-6 with a .925 save percentage. The Islanders will boast a decisive advantage in this matchup tonight. 

Even though the Maple Leafs have a better overall record, they haven’t been impressive lately. That’s not to say the Islanders have been blowing teams out, but there’s more on the line for them, and it’s hard to ignore their plus-money price at home. 

Best Bet: Islanders moneyline (+106) 

The two earlier matchups saw seven and five goals. Both clubs are strong defensively, sitting inside the top six in goals allowed per game. The Maple Leafs have the edge on offense, but that should be countered by the Isles’ sizable advantage in the net. Over the Maple Leafs’ last five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in four, while the Islanders have also seen that in four. It shouldn’t be surprising that the over 5.5 is juiced at -130, and we have no problem backing that number.

Best Bet: Over 5.5 (-130) 

The Islanders don’t have the star power that the Leafs do, but there’s still value in some of their forwards. This team is more focused on scoring depth than star power. Brock Nelson has been a significant leader for the club, hitting the 30-goal mark and leading the team with three goals over their last five games. He’s listed at an attractive price of +235 to score, a number worth backing.

Best Prop: Brock Nelson to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+235)