How To Bet The Pittsburgh vs NY Islanders Spread

The top 4 teams in the Metropolitan Division would all appear to be a lock for the playoffs at the moment, but the Pittsburgh Penguins would certainly like to open up a little more space in between themselves and the rest of the teams chasing the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. There is a lot of jockeying for position that is going to happen between now and the end of the NHL betting season, and one team that could prove to be a thorn in the side of the Pens are the New York Islanders. These two teams will hook up no less than 3 different times over the next few weeks, and the possibility of them switching positions in the division is a possibility of the Penguins can play as well as they did when they first hooked up this season. This is a big divisional game with playoff implications, which means it’s one that is well worth wagering on.

#Isles out for practice this morning at @NHIceCenter. pic.twitter.com/NLfJXIjLR5

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 7, 2016

How To Bet The Pittsburgh Vs NY Islanders NHL Odds, TV & Game Info

When: Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 PM EST Where: Barclays Center, New York TV: NBCSN Radio: WXDX and WRHU Live Stream: NBCSports NHL Odds: TBA

Why Bet on the Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins (34-23-8) once again look like a team that may make some noise in the postseason, which was not something that you could have said about them in the early part of the season. The biggest difference between this team and the one that was hitting the ice a couple of months back, other than the coach behind the bench, is the performance of the offense. We all believed that this team was stacked with offensive talent, but it took them some time to get rolling. They are doing that now, and the Penguins are currently occupying the final Wild Card spot in the East. They are 3 points back of the Islanders in the division, and will be looking to close that gap on Tuesday night. Pittsburgh are averaging 2.7 GPG, and are giving up 2.5 GPG.

Why Bet on the New York Islanders

The Islanders (36-20-7) will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the last time they met the Penguins, as that one ended with a 5-2 score in favor of Pittsburgh. That loss came on the road, though, and you have to like an Islanders team that is 19-8-4 on home ice. You also have to like a team that has gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, and who have currently won 6 of their last 7. This is a team that is in very good form at the moment, and who have won 3 of their last 4 meetings against Pittsburgh. The Islanders do not want to get sucked into the Wild Card race, and that is why they will be motivated to win this one. New York are averaging 2.9 PPG, and are giving up 2.5 PPG.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I like this one to go right down to the wire, and would not be surprised to see OT or even a shootout. At the end of the day, I think it will be the Penguins who come out on top. Pittsburgh Penguins 4 New York Islanders 3