The New York Islanders (10-6-0) look to keep pace in the competitive Metropolitan Division with a win against the Ottawa Senators (5-8-1) on Monday night.
New York Islanders standings are second in their division, while the Senators are eighth in the NHL standings for the Atlantic Division.
Ilya Sorokin and Cam Talbot are the projected starters for the Islanders vs Senators betting. Sorokin is 7-4-0 this season with a 2.17 goals-against average (GAA) and a .932 save percentage.
He’s been one of the best goalies for all NHL teams this season.
Fourth Game for Talbot
Talbot will play his fourth game on the NHL schedule after coming back from injury. He’s 1-2-0 with a 2.35 GAA and a .925 save percentage.
The puck drop for Monday night’s game is at 5:30 p.m. EST. The game is broadcast on MSGSN in the US and TSN5 and RDS in Canada.
It’s one of four games on the NHL schedule tonight and is arguably the best of the NHL games.
Last Game Records
New York has won three of its last four outings, coming off a 4-3 overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Scott Mayfield scored the game-tying goal in the third period, and Zach Parise scored his fifth goal of the year to secure the victory in overtime.
Ottawa is hoping to improve its NHL odds of making the playoffs with a second consecutive win tonight.
The team had lost seven games in a row before scoring a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
Islanders vs. Senators Betting Analysis
Senators are the slight favorites heading into the Islanders vs Senators betting. Ottawa is paying out +104 on the moneyline, while the Islanders are -115.
- The Islanders are +210 on the -1.5 puckline, while the Senators are -250 on the +1.5 puckline.
- The over/under for the game is currently set at 6. The over is paying out -118, while the under is +107.
Islanders Surprising Everyone
The Islanders weren’t expected to be an NHL odds favorite to make the playoffs this season.
General manager Lou Lamoriello missed out on prized free agent Johnny Gaudreau and ultimately didn’t do anything in free agency. Surprisingly, this has paid off.
NHL Player Stats
New York has been playing well with familiar faces leading the charge. Brock Nelson is the team’s NHL player stats leader with 17 points in 16 games. Mathew Barzal has 16 points (all assists) in 16 games.
New York is a top-10 team in goals for and against per game this season and has the third-best penalty kill in the league.
Can the Senators Get Some Momentum?
Unlike the Islanders, the Senators were among the NHL picks to have a turnaround season this year. They brought in Alex Debrincat and Claude Giroux up front, veteran Cam Talbot to solidify its goaltending, and have several young players expected to take the next step in their development this season.
Yet, it hasn’t gone according to plan.
Senators’ Stats
Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk leads Ottawa Senators stats with 19 points (6 goals, 13 assists) in 14 games. Giroux ranks second with 15 points, while Drake Batherson, DeBrincat, and Tim Stutzle all have 13 points.
NHL Injury Report
The Senators are without key defensemen Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub. Forward Josh Norris is also on the NHL injury report with a shoulder injury and is expected to be re-evaluated in January.
New York doesn’t have any injuries.
New York Islanders vs. Ottawa Senators Betting Preview
The Islanders are 10-6 against the spread (ATS) this season and 5-2 ATS on the road. Ottawa is 9-5 ATS total and 5-3 at home.
The over has hit in nine and eight games for the Islanders and Senators, respectively. These teams have yet to play against each other this season. New York defeated Ottawa 3-0 on March 22 of last season.
New York Islanders vs. Ottawa Senators Betting Prediction
While the over has hit more frequently than the under in both teams’ games this season, Monday’s game has the feel of a low-scoring affair.
Sorokin has been one of the best goalies in the NHL this season, and Talbot has stabilized the Senators goaltending since returning from injury.
NHL Pick: Under 6 (+100)
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