Hurricanes vs Islanders Odds
| Hurricanes Odds | -170 |
| Islanders Odds | +145 |
| Over / Under | 6.0 -110u / -110o |
Here's everything you need to know about the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders on Tuesday, March 19 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
The Metropolitan Division is a bloodbath. And it's only going to get worse before the end of the season. Seven of the eight teams have a conceivable shot at making the playoffs, making the next month the most crucial stretch of the campaign.
Included in that mayhem is Tuesday's intra-division tilt between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders.
The Canes are comfortably in a playoff spot, sitting 16 points clear of the final wild-card spot. However, the Islanders face a more daunting ascent. New York is one point back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff berth, magnifying the importance of every game.
As badly as the Islanders need the two points, they could be outmatched by an elite Hurricanes side.
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina remains the model of excellence in the NHL. The Canes have usurped the Edmonton Oilers for the best expected goals-for rating in the league, establishing a 56.7% benchmark with less than 15 games to go.
Moreover, they've inflated their standing with a recent stretch of superb play.
Despite being at the end of a three-game road trip, the Hurricanes have continued to assert themselves on both ends of the ice.
Carolina has outplayed its opponents in 12 straight games. Over that stretch, it's ratcheted up its expected goals-for rating to 60.1%. That means the Hurricanes are unsurprisingly getting top-end production on both ends of the ice.
As impressive as that standing is, it still doesn't do the Canes justice.
Carolina is unmercifully dominating its opponents with suffocating play. Over that same 12-game stretch, the Hurricanes are averaging 10.3 high-danger chances per game while limiting teams to a paltry 6.6. That equates to a 61.1% high-danger chance rating, easily the best mark in the league over that stretch.
Somehow, Carolina's 8-3-1 record over their previous 12 doesn't accurately reflect its on-ice dominance.
New York Islanders
Although they've been working backward more recently, the Islanders deserve some credit for staying afloat in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division. New York is 6-3-1 over its past 10, but all four of those losses have come over its last four games.
Unfortunately for the Isles, their metrics suggest that slide might continue on Tuesday night.
The Islanders have looked out of sorts lately. New York has been outplayed in four straight, coinciding with its recent demise and implying that the spiral will continue against the Hurricanes.
Over that stretch, the Islanders have accumulated just 19 high-danger chances, failing to exceed six in any contest and averaging a laughable 4.8. Similarly, scoring chances have been scant, with New York managing a minuscule 16.3 per game over the same stretch.
As bad as they've looked on the attacking end of the ice, the Islanders deserve credit for maintaining their defensive structure. It's been nearly six weeks since the last time they allowed more than eight high-danger chances, and they've been even more stout recently. New York has given up 23 quality chances over its last four, equalling 5.8 per game.
The Islanders don't have the offensive wherewithal to keep pace with the Hurricanes, but they do have the defensive integrity to contain their divisional rivals.
Hurricanes vs Islanders
Betting Pick & Prediction
Defense is a priority for both squads, and we expect the Hurricanes and Islanders to flaunt those strengths at UBS Arena.
The Islanders remain one of the top defensive teams in the league, and no one has been able to crack their defensive shell. Likewise, Carolina prioritizes responsible play, which is a pivotal factor in keeping a floundering Islanders offensive submerged.
As such, my preferred play in this Metropolitan Division showdown is taking the under. Fair market value is playing under 6 at -115 or better.
However, we can't overlook the value in this game potentially going to overtime or a shootout. Points mean so much to the Islanders, and getting at least one against an elite foe is pivotal for their playoff push.
The best value on the board is +360 for a 60-minute tie, but I'd play it at +340 or better.
