Islanders vs. Avalanche prediction: NHL odds, picks, best bets
For all the hubbub about how Islanders goaltending can support them this year, they have taken part in some wacky hockey games.
Some inadequacies just can’t be compensated for, and when netminding doesn’t show up, those problems are exposed.
It’s been difficult to project which team coach Lane Lambert is going to operate on which night.
The Islanders were decimated 7-0 by Pittsburgh on Dec. 27 — a game in which they were outworked in all three zones and Ilya Sorokin surrendered six goals on 19 shots before being yanked.
Sorokin rebounded with two sound performances, stopping 59 of 62 combined shots against Washington and a rematch against Pittsburgh.
He only came away with one victory after the offensive faucet shut off again against the Penguins.
The Islanders find themselves hanging on the equator of the Metropolitan Division heading into Tuesday’s faceoff against Colorado due to these fickle results.
Can you guess which Islanders team we’re going to see?
It may not matter when it comes to withstanding the Avalanche, who hold a 14-4-0 record and average 4.38 goals at Ball Arena.
Colorado is in an arms race to lead the Central Division and it isn’t slowing down.
It may have been edged by the inferior likes of Chicago and Arizona recently, but the Avalanche’s expected five-on-five metrics are still top tier.
Their special teams are also converting at league-high rates and Nathan MacKinnon is sewing together another Hart Trophy campaign with a pace of two points through his last 10 games.
The only thing that’s taken a drastic dip from last year is the goaltending.
The Avalanche finished 2022-23 sixth overall in save percentage and currently sit at No. 18 and below .900.
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Colorado has only been able to secure one shutout so far.
Alexandar Georgiev has only been adequate, but has allowed four goals or more in 10 of 30 starts.
The Islanders may be inconsistent, but if there’s one thing we can credit them for, it’s generating the most high-danger scoring shots in the league right now.
That said, this clash should present high-scoring potential in the high altitude on Tuesday.
THE PLAY: Over 6 (-125, DraftKings)
