The New York Islanders will try and clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot tonight when they host the Montreal Canadiens.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Montreal Canadiens (+300) vs. New York Islanders (-385) Total: 5.5 (O -118, U -104)It’s been a rollercoaster season for the New York Islanders, but they can punch their ticket to the postseason with one point tonight. The Isles missed the playoffs last season but reshaped their roster and brought in a new head coach in Lane Lambert. The Islanders will face a struggling Habs team, who’ve split the season series with New York. The Islanders are significant favorites on the moneyline at -385, while the Canadiens are at +300.
The Habs aren’t putting up much of a fight, owning a 4-6 record over their last ten games, while the Islanders are 5-4-1.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Canadiens have confirmed Sam Montembeault will start in the net, while the Islanders should ride Ilya Sorokin. The Habs netminder has a 16-17-3 record with a .904 save percentage, while Sorokin is 30-22-7 with a .925 save percentage. Even though Montembeault has been solid for Montreal, Sorokin will give the Isles a sizable edge in this matchup.
There are too many AHL players in the Canadiens’ lineup for them put up a fight against a team fighting for their playoff lives. The Islanders will make it difficult for Montreal to create offense, leading us to take the home side to win this game by multiple goals.
Best Bet: Islanders Puck Line -1.5 (-138)
The first two games these teams played saw three and seven goals scored. Tonight’s total is set at 5.5, with the over coming in at -118 and the under at -104. The Canadiens sit in the bottom third in goals scored and allowed per game, while the Isles sit fifth in goals allowed. Over the Habs’ last five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in three, while the Islanders have seen that in two. Look for the Habs’ offense to struggle and the Islanders to keep it a lower-scoring affair.
Best Bet: Under 5.5 (-104)
With both teams residing in the bottom third in goals scored per game, there aren’t a lot of goal-scorers to choose from. However, Bo Horvat stands out. Horvat hasn’t put up the same production as he did in Vancouver but is still valuable in a tight defensive system. Horvat is listed at +182 to score tonight.
Best Prop: Bo Horvat to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+182)
