NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Islanders vs Devils (Monday, April 15)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) Pictured: Timo Meier
- The New York Islanders take on the New Jersey Devils tonight at the Prudential Center.
- The Lightning are -120 favorites on the moneyline, with a game total of over/under 6.
- NHL expert Nicholas Martin makes a player prop pick below for Monday's matchup.
Islanders vs. Devils Odds
| Islanders Odds | -120 |
| Devils Odds | +100 |
| Over / Under | 6 -110o / -110u |
Here's everything you need to know about the New York Islanders vs. New Jersey Devils on Monday, April 15 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
The Islanders can officially clinch a playoff berth with a win, or if they garner a point and the Capitals lose in Boston. New York has a 7-2-1 record over its past 10, which has provided it with a stranglehold on the third spot in the Metropolitan.
Meanwhile, the Devils will look to finish an ugly season on a positive note as they play their final game of the season on home ice.
Let's dig into the odds and make an Islanders vs Devils prediction.
The Islanders 6-0-1 tear this month has essentially locked them in to a playoff spot, but will they be able to make some noise in the postseason?
Over the past 10 games, the Islanders rank middle of the pack in terms of chances for and against. They have played to a 50.53% expected goal share, which is a fair account of their overall game based upon my viewing.
As always, the greatest argument in favor of the Islanders starts and ends with their high quality goaltending duo. Their defensive play has improved under Patrick Roy, but is still far from what it was during their deep runs under former coach Barry Trotz.
Over the past 10 games, the Islanders have allowed 3.19 xGA/60, which ranks 16th in the league. Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin have combined for a .929 save percentage in that span, which ranks second best in the league.
Varlamov has been confirmed as the starter for this matchup. He has 7.9 GSAx and a .916 save percentage in 27 appearances this season.
Noah Dobson is considered day-to-day and likely to miss this contest. His absences leaves a significant hole on the top pairing and top power-play unit.
The Devils are wrapping up what has been a long and tumultuous campaign. This season has been a gigantic let down, as they seemed primed to build upon last year's 113-point season. Due to a combination of injuries, coaching malpractice and awful goaltending, they'll come up short — even in one of the softest playoff races in history.
Interim coach Travis Green seemingly hasn't been able to inspire any kind of improved play down the stretch and it seems unlikely he'll be offered the job next season.
The Devils have played to a 8-11-1 record in Green's brief tenure and have allowed 3.68 xGA/60 in that span, the fifth-worst mark in the league.
The lone positive for the Devils down the stretch has been superstar winger Timo Meier finding his game. Meier has put up 18 goals and 28 points over the past 24 games. With Jack Hughes sidelined, Meier continues to get more touches on the power play, and has found success alongside Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier at even strength.
Jake Allen has been confirmed as the Devils starter in this matchup. He has played to a -0.7 GSAx and a .897 save percentage across 33 appearances this season.
Islanders vs. Devils
Betting Pick & Prediction
Meier has quietly had an exceptional finish to the campaign and I'll bet he brings a strong performance in the finale.
Meier has gone Over 3.5 shots on goal in nine of his past 15 games as his usages has improved. He is priced at -115 to record Over 3.5 shots on goal in this matchup, and I see value betting that at anything better than -125.
Pick: Timo Meier Over 3.5 Shots on Goal -115 (DraftKings, Play to -125)
How would you rate this article?
Follow Us On Social
