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The New York Islanders will drive an hour across town to face the New York Rangers. It will be the Battle of New York as we share our NHL odds series and make an Islanders-Rangers prediction and pick.
The Rangers lead the head-to-head series with 138 wins, while the Islanders have 136 victories. The other nine showdowns resulted in a tie. The Rangers are 6-4 in the past 10 games against the Islanders. Moreover, twice this season, they have destroyed the Islanders, winning 5-1 in Long Island and 5-2 at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the Islanders-Rangers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Islanders-Rangers Odds
New York Islanders: +1.5 (-235)
Moneyline: +112
New York Rangers: -1.5 (+186)
Moneyline: -134
Over: 5.5 (-115)
Under: 5.5 (-105)
How To Watch Islanders vs Rangers
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, MSGS and MSG
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Islanders Could Cover the Spread/Win
There have been a few nice moments in Long Island this season. Yet, one of them happened this week, as Ilya Sorokin earned the second goalie goal in team history in an Islanders' win. While things have generally been rough for the Islanders this season, they still have a chance to make the playoffs, trailing the final wildcard spots by five points. This week, they also got a boost when Noah Dobson returned to the lineup. The Islanders already were without Mathew Barzal and will be for the rest of the season.
The Islanders still have some weapons that can do some damage. Notably, Anders Lee has been their best player, scoring 23 goals and 19 assists. Bo Horvat is also a good offensive tool, contributing 20 goals and 22 assists, including three powerplay markers. Also, he has been great in the faceoff circle, winning 538 draws and losing 359. Brock Nelson has tallied 19 goals and 22 assists. Likewise, he has done well in the faceoff circle, winning 479 draws and losing just 428. Kyle Palmieri has tallied 19 goals and 21 assists.
However, the issues that occurred last time were more related to key mistakes. Significantly, the Islanders also had poor defense, allowing five goals on 18 shots just a week ago against the Rangers. Sorokin did not have a good game, allowing five goals on 11 shots. He must improve on that if he wishes not to get pulled again.
The Islanders will cover the spread if they can cover up their mistakes in their own zone and prevent shots from getting to the net. Then, they must figure out a way to get pucks past the Rangers.
Why the Rangers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Rangers suffered a big blow this week, losing Adam Fox to an injury for several weeks. Unfortunately, it has been a bad season for the Rangers as they have attempted to bounce back from a poor November. Losing Fox will hurt, and they must figure out how to play without him.
Last time, the Rangers received contributions from unexpected players. Significantly, Urho Vaakanainen added one goal and two assists, while Jonny Brodzinski had two goals and one assist. The Rangers got scoring from their bottom two lines, while their top lines did not do much. While J.T. Miller had a goal, he was among the few who contributed from the top two lines. 4
The defense also blocked 19 shots, preventing the Islanders from getting anything across the crease. Additionally, they leveled 47 hits that took the Islanders out of the game, and did not allow them to get any chances. The Rangers also had a great performance from Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 36 shots and allowed just one goal. He must continue to play excellent hockey to give the Rangers a chance to win this one and cover the spread.
The Rangers will cover the spread if they can continue to get contributions from everyone on the ice. Then, they must defend the net well and Shesterkin must have another good game.
Final Islanders-Rangers Prediction & Pick
The Islanders are 30-29 against the spread, while the Rangers are 24-35 against the spread. Moreover, the Islanders are 16-14 against the spread on the road, while the Rangers are 10-19 against the spread at home. The Islanders are 30-27-2 against the over/under, while the Rangers are 28-30-1 against the over/under.
The Islanders played well in their last game against the Nashville Predators. However, they have struggled this season against the Rangers. I expect those issues to continue unless the Islanders can figure out how to get shots through the crease. Notably, the Rangers are playing much better than they did in November and December and attempting to make that final push for the playoffs.
Final Islanders-Rangers Prediction & Pick: New York Rangers: -1.5 (+186)
