The New York Islanders (8-5-0) visit Madison Square Garden Tuesday night to take on the New York Rangers (6-4-3) in the second meeting between the Metropolitan Division rivals this season. For the Islanders vs Rangers game prediction, it’s worth noting that the Islanders won the prior meeting 3-0 at UBS Arena on October 26.
The Islanders enter tonight’s game fresh off of a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime victory over the slumping Calgary Flames. They are in third place in the NHL standings for the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers, meanwhile, are fourth in the division after dropping consecutive games to NHL teams Detroit and Boston. They had won three in a row before that.
After Jaroslav Halak started for the Rangers on Sunday, New York Rangers odds suggest Igor Shesterkin gets the nod between the pipes tonight. The Russian netminder is 6-1-2 with a 2.41 goals-against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage. Semyon Varlamov is starting for the Islanders betting predictions. He’s 2-2-0 with a 2.91 GAA and a .909 save percentage.
Puck drop for the Islanders vs Rangers game prediction is at 7:00 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on TVAS, MSG, and MSGSN2.
Matchup Information
Matchup Preview
The Islanders are playing their 14th game in the NHL schedule and thus far have exceeded expectations in the competitive Metropolitan Division. President and general manager Lou Lamoriello didn’t make any major personnel changes during the offseason, instead choosing to keep the Islanders core intact. He received plenty of criticism, but his patience appears to be paying off early in the season.
The Islanders are a top-10 team in goals for and goals allowed and have the third-best penalty kill in the league at 90.5 percent. If their power-play, which is 27th in the league, can get going they could be a dangerous team.
Mathew Barzal leads the team in NHL player stats with 14 points, all of which are assists. A pass-first player, it’s still odd that Barzal has yet to find the back of the net. He has scored at least 15 goals in each of his first five seasons in the NHL.
The Rangers, meanwhile, enter the Islanders vs Rangers game prediction with an offense that is struggling. Its defense and goaltending has been as good as expected, but the fact New York has just 2.77 goals per game is surprising, considering their firepower.
The biggest problem is depth scoring. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad have 17 and 15 points, respectively. Chris Kreider has 10 points, and offseason signing Vincent Trochek has nine points. No other forward on the Rangers has more than six points.
New York is missing forwards Julien Gauthier and Vitali Kravtsov. Defenseman Ryan Lindgren is also day-to-day on the NHL injury report.
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers Odds Breakdown
- Moneyline: The New York Rangers are massive moneyline favorites. BetOnline has the team at -176 and lists the Islanders as the +159 underdogs. The Islanders are on the road and played last night.
- Puckline: BetOnline has the Rangers at +150 on the -1.5 puckline and the Islanders at -170 on the +1.5 puckline.
- Over/Under: The Islanders are a strong defensive team, and Shesterkin is one of the best goalies in the league. So BetOnline has the Islanders vs Rangers game prediction over/under at 6, with the over and under paying out -108 and -102, respectively.
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers Betting Preview
Islanders
The Islanders are one of the best teams against the spread (ATS) this season, with a 9-4 record. They’re 4-2 ATS on the road. The over/under is 4-3 in Islanders games.
Rangers
The New York Rangers are on the other end of the spectrum as they’re just 4-9 ATS this season and a dismal 2-6 ATS on home ice. The over has hit just twice in Rangers games this season.
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers Pick and Prediction
Sometimes it’s best to simply go with the trends and, while the Islanders are coming off of an overtime game last night, the team should still have enough energy and motivation to perform well at Madison Square Garden.
The Islanders have played in mostly close games this season, and that trend should continue tonight.
Final Score Prediction: 3-2 Rangers
Pick: Islanders +1.5 (-170)
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