The New York Islanders (29-24-15) travel to face off against the Detroit Red Wings (35-28-6) on Thursday, March 21st. This game will be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and televised on ESPN+. The Red Wings are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Islanders are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Hurricanes. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Islanders vs Red Wings

The New York Islanders Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

As the Islanders head into today’s game, they are 10th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-24-15. In the Metropolitan Division, they are 5th, and they have lost their last two games. On the road, New York is 14-15-5 this season.

So far this year, the Islanders have been the underdog in 36 of their 68 games, going 14-13-9 in those games. Against Eastern Conference opponents, they are 18-21 on the year.

On the road this year, the Islanders have a puck line record of 19-15, and they have gone just 5-5 against the puck line in their last ten games. So far, the team’s average scoring margin is at -0.3 goals per game.

Overall, the Islanders have gone 33-35 against the puck line, and they have dropped their last five games against the puck line. In their last ten road games, the team has gone 6-4 against the puck line.

Following a 4-1 loss at home to the Hurricanes, the Islanders are eager to bounce back. The first two periods saw the Islanders struggling to find the net on offense, but they turned things around by scoring one goal in the third period. For the game, New York’s only goal came at even strength. Overall, they had 31 shots on goal vs. Carolina.

Entering the game as the underdog, New York not only suffered a straight-up loss but also failed to cover the puck line. With a combined total of 5 goals, the game concluded below the over/under line of 6.

The Detroit Red Wings Are Coming Off A Win

At home this season, the Red Wings have been a solid team, going 20-11-5. Their two-game home winning streak has helped them to a record of 35-28-6 overall, which has them in 8th place in the Eastern Conference and 5th in the Atlantic Division. Against other teams in the East, Detroit is 19-19.

As the favorite, the Red Wings have gone 15-5-4 this season, and they have been favored in 24 of their 69 games. Over their last ten games, Detroit has gone just 2-8, and they are 2-3 in their last five games. Overall, they have 76 points on the season.

On the season, the Red Wings have an average scoring margin of +.1 goals per game. So far, they have 20 wins by multiple goals and 15 wins by just one goal. Detroit’s puck line record for the year is 37-32.

As the favorite, the Red Wings are 8-16 against the puck line, and their average scoring margin in those games is +.7 goals per contest. In their last ten home games, Detroit has gone just 5-5 against the puck line.

In their most recent game, the Red Wings hosted the Blue Jackets and secured a 4-3 victory. In the opening period, the Red Wings couldn’t find the net on offense, but they rebounded with two times in the second period and one goal in the third. Of Detroit’s four goals, one came while in power play. They ended the game with 26 shots on goal and had six giveaways.

Although Detroit secured a straight-up win, they did not cover the puck line, as they were favored by -1.5. The teams surpassed the over/under line, which was set at 6.5 goals, with a combined total of 7 goals.

New York Offense Breakdown

On offense, the Islanders are averaging 3 goals per game which is 22nd in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are 21st in the league. This year, the Islanders have recorded a 11-10 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. For games with fewer shots on goal, they have a 18-14 record.

The Islanders come in with an over/under record of 37-27-4. Over the season, there have been 35 games that have surpassed the 6.5 over/under line. Their games, on average, are at 6.3 goals per game.

Red Wings Offense Breakdown

The Red Wings come into the game scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game, putting them 8th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 22nd in the league. Detroit’s offense is currently ranked 5th in power play goals. When it comes to shorthanded goals, they are 12th in the league.

This season, the Red Wings have an over/under record of 39-30-0. Throughout the season, they have played 39 games that went over the 6.5 over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is 6.8 per game.

New York Team Defense

Defensively, the Islanders come into the season ranked 3rd in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 32.8 shots per game against New York. For the season, they are ranked 19th in shutouts, coming in with 4 shutouts.

Detroit Team Defense

Defensively, the Red Wings are currently 5th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 32.2 shots per game against Detroit. They also are 15th in shutouts, coming in with 4 shutouts.

Islanders vs Red Wings Trends

• Across their five previous road games, New York has an puck line mark of 2-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-3 while averaging 3 goals per game.
• Across their ten previous home games, Detroit has an puck line mark of 5-5. Their straight up record in these matchups was 6-4 while averaging 3 goals per game.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the underdog, the Red Wings have a straight up record of 4-6. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 4-6.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the favorite, the Islanders have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 1-2.

Islanders vs Red Wings Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Red Wings to defeat the Islanders while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -115, I’m placing a wager on the Red Wings to win outright.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Islanders to cover. Even if the Red Wings win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Islanders should cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 6.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.