Penguins vs. Islanders Game 1 Prediction: NHL Playoffs Betting Odds
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Charlie Grant
The Isles have home ice advantage and the stingiest defence in the NHL but their lack of star power doesn’t inspire confidence from the betting public.
Penguins vs. Islanders Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Analysis
The Pens come into the playoffs after a disappointing close to the regular season. The club lost three of its final five games including its season finale as a -300 home favourite against the New York Rangers.
Pittsburgh lost in the second round of the playoffs last year to Washington, the eventual Stanley Cup champion. The Pens won the Cup in back-to-back campaigns in 2016 and 2017. Sports Interaction lists them at +1400 to win in 2019.
Sports Interaction also lists Pittsburgh as -189 series favourites against the Islanders despite starting the matchup on the road in New York. The two clubs split the season series 2-2 but the Pens won the last two meetings.
The Isles finished the regular season off with a 3-0 win over the Capitals in Washington. NYI won six of its last eight games, and the Under went 7-3 in its last 10 contests. The Islanders finished as the best Under bet in the NHL in 2019. The Under cashed in 51 of their 82 games.
About 78 percent of Sports Interaction bettors are backing the Penguins to win Game 1 as -115 favourites while 64 percent expect the game to go Over the 5.5-goal total.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Injuries were a major storyline in Pittsburgh this hockey season. Head coach Mike Sullivan had to handle major contributors like Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Matt Murray all missing significant portions of the campaign.
The good news for Penguins fans is that the injury problems seem to be in the past. Pittsburgh enters its first round series with the Isles with nearly a clean bill of health. Brian Dumoulin is the latest key player to return to the lineup.
Dumoulin missed the last three games of the regular season because of an upper-body injury. The blue-liner is expected to be back on the ice on Wednesday night in New York. He led Pittsburgh in plus/minus this season at +31 in 76 games.
New York Islanders
No team in the NHL allowed fewer goals per game than the Isles. Can the club keep the trend going in the playoffs against a side featuring Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Jake Guentzel?
The man who’ll face all those snipers is Robin Lehner. The Isles goalie finished third in the league in goals against average (2.13) and second in save percentage (.930).
PIT
NYI