A game between two teams currently on winning streaks, the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins face off at PPG Paints Arena in a Metropolitan Division showdown. The action will get started at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 30 and it is being shown live on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.
New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins Odds
Pittsburgh (-240) is currently favored over New York (+200) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 7 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -115 for the over and -105 on the under.
Pittsburgh is 6-3 straight up (SU) and has lost 0.4 units for moneyline bettors thus far. That winning percentage, ranked third in the league in this young season, isn’t too far off from to the 47-35 record the team managed during last year’s regular season campaign. Of the team’s nine games this season, four have gone over the total, while another four have gone under and just one has pushed. Thus far, the team’s 2-2 SU at home.
The Penguins have successfully connected on 29.2 percent of their power play chances thus far. That’s a big improvement from last season, when they were ranked first in the league by scoring on 25.7 percent of their extra-man advantages. Their penalty kill has gotten stronger year-over-year as they’ve gone from successfully defending 80.4 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 14th overall last season) to 88.0 percent this year.
The Penguins, as a collective unit, have been called for penalties just 3.1 times per game this season. Last year, that number was at 4.0, the mark in the league. After serving an average of 9.4 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to kill penalties for just 6.6 minutes per outing this year.
With a .910 save percentage and 34.2 saves per game, Matt Murray (4-1) has been the principal goalkeeper for Pittsburgh this season. If the Pens choose to give him the evening off, however, head coach Mike Sullivan might go with Casey DeSmith (2-2-2 record, .939 save percentage, 1.95 goals against average).
The Pens will continue relying on offensive production from Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel. Malkin (18 points) has put up five goals and 13 assists while Kessel has seven goals and seven assists to his credit so far in the early stages of the season.
On the visiting bench, New York is 5-5 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 2.6 units this season. A total of six of its matches have gone under the total, while four have gone over and none have pushed. As the away team, the Islanders are 4-3 SU so far.
The Islanders have converted on 23.3 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 17th overall and it’s successfully defended 76.7 percent of all penalties.
New York’s skaters have been penalized 4.3 times per game this season, a number that’s climbed some from the 3.4 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 7.8 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s been forced to kill penalties for a whopping 11.9 minutes per matchup this year.
Robin Lehner (.929 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average) has been the primary option in goal for New York. Lehner is averaging 30.7 saves per game and has three wins, three losses, and one OT loss to his credit.
For the visiting Islanders, the offense will be facilitated through Anders Lee (four goals, seven assists) and Josh Bailey (two goals, nine assists).
New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Penguins, O/U – Over
Click Here to Start Betting Today!
Notes
Betting Trends
After going 2-2 in games decided by a shootout last year, the Penguins are off to a 0-1 start in shootouts this season. New York was 3-3 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
The total has gone under in three of Pittsburgh’s last five games.
Pittsburgh has averaged 4.4 goals per game overall this season, but has raised that figure up to 5.8 per contest over its four-game winning streak.
New York skaters recorded 22.1 hits per game last season, while the Penguins logged 24.6 hits per matchup.
*****
