The New York Islanders (29-19-5) and New York Rangers (22-26-6) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EST at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Islanders are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6 (-122o / +102u). The Islanders are a -135 favorite to win outright, while the Rangers are +113 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Islanders vs. Rangers predictions and NHL picks.
Islanders vs. Rangers Odds, Pick
| Islanders Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +180 | 6 -122o / +102u | -135 |
| Rangers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -220 | 6 -122o / +102u | +113 |
- Islanders vs. Rangers Spread: Islanders -1.5 (+180), Rangers +1.5 (-220)
- Islanders vs. Rangers Over/Under: 6 (-122o / +102u)
- Islanders vs. Rangers Moneyline: Islanders -135, Rangers +113
Islanders vs. Rangers Preview
New York Islanders
The Islanders' additions of both Carson Soucy and Ondrej Palat were a nice little reward for a team that has been playing above expectations all season.
One of the aspects of the Islanders, though, is that they’ve been carried by goaltending. Both Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich have been stellar all season, especially in high-danger situations.
Rittich started last night, so expect Sorokin to get the nod tonight, and he’s been playing like the league’s best goalie – no exaggeration.
In the past 10 games, he’s played to an 11.1 GSAx and a .917 SV% – which includes three shutouts.
Beyond that, the Islanders got a few players back from injury, minus Cal Ritchie, who’s still nursing a lower-body injury. But we’ve seen exceptional play from Mathew Barzal, Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman. Not just that, Anthony Duclair has registered eight goals in his past 11 games.
Last night’s win definitely improved New York’s 5-on-5 numbers, but I’m still concerned about consistency. Its expected goals had progressively been in the bottom-10 in the league, along with its 5-on-5 defensive numbers.
However, I think we should see a little more domination tonight given the Islanders’ opponents.
New York Rangers
So, this is just a lost season for the Rangers, but maybe it may work out for them in the end, putting them in a great position for the Draft Lottery.
As if losing star goaltender Igor Shesterkin and star defenseman Adam Fox wasn’t enough, the Rangers decided to remove Artemi Panarin from any lineups until the Olympic break in hopes of finding a trade partner.
So any stat you may see for the Rangers this season, you can drop those numbers a few points. Panarin was New York’s major play driver, leaving the Blue Shirts with only Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller to fend for themselves.
For me, I don’t really think the Rangers have their ducks in a row. Before the season, they named Miller the team’s captain, and I just feel like that was an indication of how the season was going to go.
Miller is a fine player, but he was the center of controversy while he was with the Canucks, and something tells me that in this down stretch, he’s not exactly keeping the room in great spirits.
Last night, Spencer Martin started for the Rangers, leaving Jonathan Quick to be the head honcho for tonight.
Before Shesterkin went down, Quick was one of the better backups in the league. But as a 40-year-old, it’s hard for him to get back into the daily starting grind. He’s played to a league-worst -12.2 GSAx over his past 10 games and an .884 SV for the season.
Islanders vs. Rangers Prediction
OK, so who tailed my under play last night?
I hope you made your own decision because when I wrote that, I wasn’t sure if Martin was starting or not, so I wanted to play it safe.
And boy, were we close to cashing out.
Regardless, last night showed just how terrible the Rangers are. The Islanders outshot the Blue Shirts 36-16 with Rittich playing, and now they have to face Sorokin? Without Panarin?
I’m often guilty of putting my foot in my mouth, but this seems almost too easy.
No, I don’t think the Islanders are that much of a prized offensive team, but Quick has not been very good since assuming the full-time helm, and missing out on Panarin is just another dent in the armor that has been cracking ever since Opening Night.
Factor in that with the Rangers' abhorrent record in front of their home fans, I’m awfully confident in taking the Islanders in regulation.
Pick: Islanders 3-Way Money (+115)
