The Metropolitan Division has fallen apart this season, which includes the New York Islanders being locked in a tie with their cross-town rivals for last place. Things have been going much better for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they've risen to fourth in the division and are one point back of the wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins entered the break on a hot streak, which shouldn't be surprising as their core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang always came through when times were tough to extend the team's competitive window. The Penguins were about to tear things down at one point this season, but we should get some more time to enjoy the nostalgia of this group competing for the playoffs. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Penguins-Islanders prediction and pick.

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

NHL Odds: Penguins-Islanders Odds

Pittsburgh Penguins: +1.5 (-220)

Moneyline: +114

New York Islanders: -1.5 (+176)

Moneyline: -137

Over: 6.5 (+108)

Under: 6.5 (-132)

How To Watch Penguins vs. Islanders

Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT

TV: Sportsnet-Pittsburgh, MSGSN

*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*

Why the Penguins Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Penguins' offense has been rolling lately, led by Sidney Crosby, whose legend status is getting so massive that he's passing Mario Lemieux in the franchise's record books. Crosby's debut was historic, but fans still found it hard to believe he would ever best the franchise's hero. He has one more opportunity to go on a legend-building run, and the end of the first half of their season was a good start. The Penguins owned a 6-3-1 record, securing massive wins against the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Los Angeles Kings. They also scored 5+ goals in four of those six wins, including a nine-goal performance against the Montreal Canadiens and seven goals against their rival Philadelphia Flyers.

Why the Islanders Could Cover the Spread/Win

It couldn't get much worse for the Islanders as they entered the holiday break. The team had four games to play over the final week and hoped they could grab a couple of wins to keep them out of last place in the division. However, the reality couldn't be more opposite. They started the stretch with losses against the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes before a surprising road victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. A home date with the horrible Buffalo Sabres seemed like a good way to end it, but the Islanders looked like they were already on holiday when they horrendously lost 7-1. The Islanders now have two options: they can use the Islander's loss as a wakeup call, or they'll let it be the beginning of a plummet to the bottom of the league.

Final Penguins-Islanders Prediction & Pick

The Penguins need their goaltenders to show average form if they're going to explode offensively, and that's what Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic have been doing. They've owned a 3-1-1 record over their last five with a combined 2.80 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. The same can't be said for the Islanders, as Ilya Sorokin shouldered the load. Semyon Varlamov has been out with an injury, and Sorokin has a 3.50 goals-against average and a .860 save percentage over his past five games. Take this game to go over out of the holiday break.

Final Penguins-Islanders Prediction & Pick: Over 6.5 (+108)