The New York Islanders (17-9-9) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins (17-13-4) on Sunday, December 31st. This game will be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Puck drop is set for 6:00 ET.

New York Islanders vs Pittsburgh Penguins

The New York Islanders Are Coming Off A Win

Facing the Penguins, the Islanders have a record of 17-9-9 so far. At home, their record is 10-4-6 and 7-5-3 on the road. This record has them sitting 4th in the Eastern Metropolitan division and 6th in the Eastern conference. New York’s average scoring margin this season is -0.2, leading to an overall puck line record of 19-16. At their home arena, they have a scoring margin of -0.2, while on the road, it is -0.2.

The Islanders played host to the Capitals in their previous game and emerged with a 5-1 win. During the first period, the Islanders started slow, but they turned things around by scoring two times in the second period and three goals in the third. In the game, New York managed to score all five goals at even strength. They concluded with 32 shots on goal and committed 7 turnovers.

New York came in as the favorites with a -1.5 goal advantage and, as a result, recorded a win against the puck line. With a combined total of 6 goals, the teams exceeded the over/under line of 5.5 goals set for the game.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Coming Off A Win

Through 34 games, the Penguins have achieved an overall record of 17-13-4. When on the road, Pittsburgh holds a 8-7-3 record, while they are 9-6-1 when playing at home. Their current record places them 7th in the Eastern Metropolitan division and 11th in the Eastern conference. This season, Pittsburgh has managed to win 12 games by a margin of more than one goal while losing 10 games by multiple goals. Their overall puck line record for the season is 16-18.

In their previous game, the Penguins hosted the Blues and game away with a 4-2 win. Against the Blues, the Penguins’ offense netted goals in all three periods. Of Pittsburgh’s four goals, one were scored while in power play situations. Their game ended with 30 shots on goal and seven giveaways.

Pittsburgh secured a win against the puck line, entering the game as the favorites with a -1.5 goal advantage. The game ended with a total of 6 goals, resulting in a push on the over/under.

New York Offense Breakdown

In terms of their offensive performance, the Islanders are averaging 3.1 goals per game this season, putting them in the 18th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 22nd in the league. Coming into the game, the Islanders have 5-2 record when they have more shots on goal than their opponent. When they have fewer shots on goal, they are 12-7.

So far, the Islanders have an over/under record of 21-13-1. Coming into the game, they have played 20 games that went beyond the 6.5 over/under line. Their games, on average, had 6.4 goals per game.

Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown

For their offensive performance, the Penguins come in averaging 3 goals per game this season, which is 26th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 11th in the league. The Pittsburgh offense is ranked 26th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they find themselves at 20th in the NHL.

The Penguins’ over/under record this season is 13-18-3. For the season, they have had 20 games failing to surpass this game’s over/under line of 6.5. Overall, their games are averaging 5.8 goals per game.

New York Team Defense

In terms of defense, the Islanders head into the game ranked 3rd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 35.2 shots per game against New York. So far, they are 4th in shutouts, achieving 4 shutouts.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Defensively, the Penguins are currently 20th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 30.4 shots per game against Pittsburgh. They also are 1st in shutouts, coming in with 5 shutouts.

Islanders vs Penguins Trends

• Although New York has a straight up record of 5-5 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 9-1. The team averaged 3 goals per game in these games.
• In their last ten games at home, the Penguins have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 3-7 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 2 goals per game in these contests.
• In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Penguins have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their puck line record was 3-0 in these scenarios.
• Going back to their last three games as the favorite, the Islanders have a straight up record of 1-2. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 1-2.

Islanders vs Penguins Prediction

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Penguins to come out with a win against the Islanders while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at -134, I’m placing my bet on the Penguins to win outright.

If you’re looking for a puck line bet, I’d suggest going with the Islanders to cover. Even in the event of a Penguins victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Islanders should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

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

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* 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.