The New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers enter this game on similar trajectories. It is surprising, as last year's Stanley Cup runner-ups looked like a team that could follow a similar path as last year's Florida Panthers and win the cup on their second opportunity. However, they'll need to start climbing the standings for a second straight year to make that happen. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with an Islanders-Oilers prediction and pick.

The Islanders haven't had an inspiring start to the season, which could be a problem in the best division in hockey. The division has four of the best teams in the league, as the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils all have over 19 points. It'll be an uphill battle for the Islanders to reach the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, and they'll need more from every facet of their roster. The Islanders have won just four of their past ten games.

The Oilers crawled back to .500 when they defeated their rival Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. It snapped a two-game losing streak for the Oilers, which is starting to become a disturbing trend for Edmonton. Much like last season, the Oilers struggle to string together victories, keeping them at .500 and fifth in the Pacific Division. Are the Oilers going to find a way to rally in the second half of the season to make a playoff run, or is doing that two years in a row unsustainable?

Here are the Islanders-Oilers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Islanders-Oilers Odds

New York Islanders: +1.5 (-145)

Moneyline: +170

Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+122)

Moneyline: -204

Over: 6.5 (+100)

Under: 6.5 (-120)

How To Watch Islanders vs. Oilers

Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT

TV: Sportsnet, MSGSN

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why the Islanders Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Islanders' goaltending has been an issue at times this season, but it has been much better than the Oilers'. Edmonton's goalies have a 3.20 goals-against average and a .877 save percentage combined this season, with Calvin Pickard having better statistics than their starter, Stuart Skinner. Ilya Sorokin started the year with some injury concerns, and Semyon Varlamov could not shoulder the load. However, Sorokin has a 4-3-2 record with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.

Why the Oilers Could Cover the Spread/Win

It's a battle of two of the worst special teams units in the league, but the Islanders' poor penalty kill could help Edmonton in this game. We know how lethal the Oilers can be with the man advantage, and the Islanders have the third-worst penalty kill with a 65.6% success rate. New York will want to stay out of the box because it could be the breakout they need. On the other hand, the Oilers have the worst penalty kill in the league, but it won't be as much of an issue against an Islanders team that doesn't have a ton of talent on their powerplay units.

Final Islanders-Oilers Prediction & Pick

The Oilers have outperformed inferior opponents this season, and the Islanders cannot match Edmonton's talent level. Edmonton's offense broke out with seven goals against Vancouver on Saturday night, which is terrible news for their upcoming opponents. Sorokin will do his best to keep the Islanders in this game, but the Oilers to win by a couple of goals feels like the right decision.

Final Islanders-Oilers Prediction & Pick: Oilers -1.5 (+122)