Islanders vs Penguins Picks, Predictions, and Odds Tonight
Jason Zucker has tallied six goals in his last six games and is on the board at +250 to find the back of the net once again tonight. We break down his chances in our Islanders vs. Penguins betting picks and predictions below.
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The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins do battle at PPG Paints Arena as the clubs continue to battle for playoff positioning in a tight Eastern Conference Wild Card race.
The Islanders occupy the first Wild Card spot with 74 points while the Penguins sit right on their heels with 73.
Both teams come in hot as New York has gotten back to its strong defensive roots while Pittsburgh is piling plenty of pucks into the net.
Find out which team has the edge in our Islanders vs. Penguins NHL picks and predictions for Thursday, March 9.
Islanders vs Penguins best odds
Islanders vs Penguins picks and predictions
The New York Islanders picked up their second straight win on Tuesday, edging out the Sabres 3-2 and improving to 5-1-1 in their last seven games.
New York has allowed just 10 goals through those seven contests since February 20 – the second-best mark in the NHL over that span behind only Minnesota (nine). Ilya Sorokin has manned the net in six of those games, posting an astounding .949 SV% and 1.65 GAA along the way.
The Isles, who rank fifth in goals allowed per game this season (2.64), are obviously known for their strong goaltending and defensive prowess, but they’ve really locked it down over these last few weeks and have been one of the NHL’s toughest teams to beat.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, on the other hand, have found their rhythm offensively and have strung together their own little run, going 5-1-0 in their last six outings. Pittsburgh is scoring 4.0 gpg over that span while giving up 3.0, so the Pens have been playing a lot of back-and-forth, free-flowing hockey — a stark contrast to the Isles.
Jason Zucker has been the standout performer for Pittsburgh during this hot stretch with six goals in his last six games. The forward has found the back of the net in four of his last five games while collecting two multi-goal outings in his last three.
With the two teams playing such contrasting styles, it’s tough to say who will be able to dictate the flow of the game, but if there’s one trend I can count on for my best bet, it’s Zucker’s hot scoring touch.
My best bet: Jason Zucker to score a goal (+250)
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Islanders vs Penguins moneyline analysis
The Penguins opened as the -138 home favorite and slid up to -150 by Wednesday night, but it’s tough for me to give them that much of an edge with the Islanders playing such strong defensive hockey right now.
If we look at their head-to-head history, the Isles actually have the advantage, winning all three meetings this season and going 4-1-0 over the last five matchups vs. the Pens.
New York won the most recent meeting 4-2 in Pittsburgh on February 20, battling back from multiple deficits in that game to win even without star forward Mathew Barzal.
Speaking of Barzal, he’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since New York’s last win over Pittsburgh, yet the club has still managed to win five of six games — a testament to the team’s ability to elevate its level as a group.
Simply put, the Islanders are playing playoff-style hockey right now, which is why they’ve been one of the hottest teams in the NHL — and why I like them as the road underdog in tonight’s matchup.
Islanders vs Penguins Over/Under analysis
As you'd expect from New York, the Under has cashed in six straight games. Meanwhile, the Over is 6-3-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 10.
Interestingly, head-to-head matchups have historically been somewhat high scoring, with the Over going 4-1-2 in the last seven meetings between the Islanders and Penguins.
The Isles and Pens have averaged 6.7 GPG through those seven contests – well above tonight’s total of 6. Still, I’m not sure if the Over is a lock.
The question, then, is how much faith you have in the Islanders’ defense and goaltending to keep the Penguins at bay. If Sorokin gets the call in net, confidence should be high as he’s given up more than two goals just once in his last six starts.
Sorokin’s also been pretty solid against the Pens throughout his career, going 5-3-0 with a .918 SV% and a 2.68 GAA – one more reason to like the Under in tonight’s contest.
Islanders vs Penguins betting trend to know
The Under is 8-0 in the Penguins’ last eight games after scoring five goals or more in their previous contest. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs Penguins.
