Devils vs. Islanders Odds
| Devils Odds | -118 |
| Islanders Odds | -102 |
| Over / Under | 5.5 -132 / +108 |
Coming off consecutive losses, the New Jersey Devils head to Long Island to face the New York Islanders. After a very promising season last year, many believe the Devils are a team to look out for when discussing the Stanley Cup.
The Islanders aren't at all a flashy team. They have a lot of skilled guys, but for the most part, their game is gritty and blue collar. New York started its season with two wins in as many games at home, and will look to make it a third tonight.
Here’s a look at the odds, as well as my betting prediction for the Devils vs. Islanders.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils’ top guys haven’t disappointed. Jack Hughes solidified himself as a star last season and he’s continued his path to stardom with six points in three games. Additionally, Jesper Bratt leads the team in goals and Dougie Hamilton has maintained his usual strong production.
However, the offense has yet to spark like it usually does. It’s ranked 25th in expected goals with a 43.53 xGF%, which is much lower than what it was last season. Defensively, the Devils haven’t looked great either and are playing to a 3.34 xGA/60.
The power play has looked great and Hughes, Bratt and Hamilton have been at the forefront, converting 31% of the time. Conversely, the penalty kill needs to be better. New Jersey has let up five goals in 15 opportunities. Not only does it need to be better, but it needs to be better at staying out of the box.
Vitek Vanecek will most likely start as he took on the reins as the top guy last year for the first time in his career. So far, he’s played pretty serviceably, playing to an .892 SV% and a +0.8 goals saved above expected (GSAx).
New York Islanders
Brock Nelson has turned into a prolific goal scorer, but there hasn’t been much production elsewhere. Mathew Barzal is a high-end skilled player, but has underperformed since his rookie year. To go with that, Bo Horvat, last season’s trade acquisition, hasn’t generated anything yet, and I’m interested to see when he will. Long Island is typically where goals go to die, unless you’re Nelson.
The numbers don’t come in abundance, but the Islanders have done a solid job driving play as they’re ninth with a 55.84 xGF%. Defensively, it looks like they’re back to the old days. They’ve only let up two goals and are second with a 1.98 xGA/60.
Historically, the Isles have had a terrible power play. They were able to score their only goal on Tuesday, but I still can’t trust them with the man advantage. The penalty kill is a different story though. They were great last year and are five-for-five this year.
Ilya Sorokin is making history for the Islanders. In less than 200 games played, Sorokin is already third in franchise history for shutouts. He’s having a fantastic season already with an absurd .952 SV% and a +1.3 GSAx.
Devils vs. Islanders
Betting Pick & Prediction
New York has been a relatively easy team to bet on the past few years. Its sound defensive structure and limited offensive capabilities have forced them into many low scoring bouts.
I really like the Devils this year, but it’s going to take time for them to get their feet under them. They’ve struggled to generate opportunities and have put Vanecek in a tough spot. Hughes and Bratt will get their opportunities, but can they get past Sorokin?
The Isles weren’t able to get any even strength pucks past the Coyotes, which is a good sign for future unders. Vanecek is probably the best goalie they’ve seen so far, but New Jersey’s defense has been a letdown. Either way, I trust the Devils’ defense more than the Islanders’ ability to score, so I’m thinking there's a good chance this will be another low-scoring game.
