The Barclays Center will be the site for an Eastern Conference tilt as the New York Islanders face off against the visiting Florida Panthers. It’s the third and final time that these two clubs will go at it in the regular season. MSG Network will showcase the matchup, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, March 26.
Florida Panthers at New York Islanders Odds
Florida (-145) is currently favored over New York (+125) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 7 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -105 money on the over and -115 for the under.
Florida is 38-35 straight up (SU) and has earned 1.4 units for moneyline bettors this season. 37 of its contests have gone over the total, while 35 have gone under and just one has pushed. As the road team this season, the Panthers are 15-21 SU.
Florida has converted on 19.1 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 15th overall, and it has successfully killed off 80.7 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Panthers have been called for penalties 4.3 times per game in the 2017-18 season, and 3.4 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays 8.6 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Sporting a .912 save percentage and 28.3 saves per game, James Reimer (19-20-5) has been the primary option in goal for Florida this year. If head coach Bob Boughner decides to rest him, however, Florida may turn to Roberto Luongo (15-14-3), who has a .927 save percentage and 2.55 goals against average this year.
The visiting Panthers have relied on Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck heavily this year. Barkov (74 points) has tallied 26 goals and 48 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 21 different games. Trocheck has 30 goals and 39 assists to his name (and has logged a point in 47 games).
Over on the other bench, New York is 31-44 straight up (SU) and has lost 12.9 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 75 regular season contests, 45 of its games have gone over the total, while 27 have gone under and just three have pushed. This season, the team’s 17-20 SU at home.
The Islanders have converted on 22.4 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s good enough for sixth-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 32nd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 74.3 percent of all penalties.
New York players have been penalized only 3.4 times per game in total this season, and 4.6 per game over their past five contests. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays just 5.2 minutes per game over their last five home outings.
Jaroslav Halak has denied 29.2 shots per game as the primary choice in goal for the Islanders. Halak has 18 wins, 34 losses, and six overtime losses to his name and has maintained a mediocre 3.24 goals against average and a fairly-weak .906 save percentage this year.
John Tavares (33 goals, 45 assists) will pace the offensive attack for the Islanders.
Florida Panthers at New York Islanders Free Picks
Prediction: SU Winner – Islanders, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Trends
New York is 3-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Florida is 3-3 in shootouts.
The total has gone over in three of New York’s last five games.
The Panthers have averaged the league’s most shots on goal (34.7) and New York has attempted the 21st-most (just 31.2).
Over Florida’s last ten games, eight of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 5-3 in those games).
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