Islanders vs. Penguins predictions, expert picks & odds: Monday, 2/20

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The New York Islanders revisit their division rivalry with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night, just three days after a comeback win from the Islanders. If you thought Friday’s game was huge, this game is even bigger for both teams as they are now tied in points in the standings for one of the two wild card spots as teams start battling for seeding for the playoffs.

With a battle of two Eastern Conference teams fighting for playoff position, our expert has the Islanders vs. Penguins predictions with odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook.

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The Islanders and the Penguins, as mentioned earlier, will be playing each other for the second time in three days. The Islanders fell behind late in the second period, 4-2, but managed to score three unanswered goals from that point, including one with only about 30 seconds left in the second period, to take home the win 5-4.

The Penguins, on the other hand, just had a horrific weekend. After blowing the lead and losing to the Islanders, they proceeded to get dominated the very next night against the Devils, losing 5-2. The lone bright spot for the Penguins, as they will be looking for a win to strengthen their grip on a wild card spot, is that they still have four games in hand on the Islanders.

With these teams only separated by one goal last game, It will likely be close, but the best bet from our Islanders vs. Penguins predictions is on the Penguins’ money line.

Looking at the Islanders, the one item that jumps out is that they need to tighten their defense, as it has become sloppy and almost non-existent. Over the weekend, after allowing five goals to the Penguins, they turned around the next night and allowed six goals to the Bruins. In fact, in their last five games, the Islanders have allowed 23 goals (4.6 per game).

The Islanders’ lack of defense plays right into the Penguins’ hands. Since the start of the month, the Penguins have been one of the best teams in generating scoring chances, ranking 2nd in expected goals. Granted, the Penguins have had a rough time converting on those chances recently, as they only have 15 goals in their last five games, but they are now off the road, back at home with a little rest, so expect a better finish from the black and yellow.

The last advantage for the Penguins comes from how the Islanders have played lately. In their last five games, the Islanders have one win and it came against the Penguins who were playing their last game of a four-game road trip. Add on the fact the Penguins were out West for the first three games of that road trip and the Islanders caught a tired team. With the Islanders on their last game of a two-game road trip, and the Penguins now having some rest, the results should flip from Friday.

With the Penguins now rested and having the edge of their offense against the Islanders’ defense, there is too much in the Penguins’ favor. With that said, we’ll back the Penguins’ money line (-130 at BetMGM Sportsbook) with confidence for the best bet from our Islanders vs. Penguins predictions.

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If you’d like to back our Islanders vs. Penguins predictions focusing on the Penguins’ money line, they are currently favored and their odds are listed at -130 at BetMGM Sportsbook, while the Islanders’ money line comes with +110 odds. A $130 wager on Pittsburgh profits $100 as long as they win the game in any fashion, while a $100 wager on New York nets you $100 of winnings if they’re able to pull off the win on the road.

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