New York Islanders vs. Seattle Kraken Prediction: Can the Isles Go Into the Break on a High Note?

New York Islanders vs. Seattle Kraken Prediction: Can the Isles Go Into the Break on a High Note?

It's the last day of the NHL regular season. We are just kidding only part 1 as we go to the all-star break after tonight. I would love to end part 1 of the regular season with a winner so let's go to New York to discuss the Islanders and the Kraken today and see if things have turned for one of these teams.

New York Islanders vs. Seattle Kraken Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

Date: Wednesday, February 2

Game Time: 7:00 pm ET

Where to Watch: ESPN+

Puck Line: Islanders -1 (+115)

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Islanders vs. Kraken Line Movement

New York Islanders vs. Seattle Kraken Prediction

The Islanders finally, and we mean finally after all these months, have their full lineup back and healthy and ready to go. They have shown improvement as Ryan Pulock, and Casey Cizikas came back last night. The Islanders ended a two-game unlucky losing streak beating the Senators after they beat the Oilers in overtime the night before. The Islanders are now 10-1 there last 11 as a favorite, meaning they are winning games that they are supposed to win recently as they climbed back to .500, and we feel their goal is to be above .500 going into the break and ride this momentum. For a team to have a chance to be over .500 after an 11 game losing streak can mentally change this team for the rest of the year. Pulock didn't play much, but you could see his impact right away as the defense shut down Ottawa after a lucky early goal. This team is built on defense and needs to win with defense because they are 30th in the league scoring only 2.4 goals a game(also why 65% of their games have gone under so far).

The Kraken are getting better and better, and the fact they have lost 20 of the 31 games they have lost by two goals or less shows this team is trying and right in it, but the first-year club is still learning, and clearly, they have numerous issues. The Kraken offense is putrid. They are 25th in the league at scoring (2.6 a game), 31st at shots per game with slightly over 28, and 27th at the power play. When you are bottom 7 in all of those categories, you don't win many games, which is why they only have 14 wins (their longest winning streak is two games this year).

Defensively they aren't much better as they give up the 2nd most shots per game and are 28th, giving up 3.5 goals a game. The Kraken have four guys out, including three defensive guys who can't help a team that is already one of the worst at giving up goals. The real problem tonight is that it is the last game before the break, and we expect a poor effort from Seattle because this is their fourth road game in six days. This team is tired and tired of the East coast, and we feel they can't wait to go back West as this East coast run should be 0-3, but they beat the regressing Penguins, who have lost four in a row by one goal. We feel this says it all: "Another one-goal loss," said Kraken right winger Joonas Donskoi, who scored his first goal of the season Tuesday. "Tight game, but it's frustrating." This team is tired of losing one-goal games, so let's lose by two tonight, we say.

In the last game before the break, we had a team worn out from a long road trip for the first time out east as a team and frustrated about the one-goal losses and missing numerous guys tonight, including some key guys on defense. They are also 0-4 playing with no rest this season. On the other hand, we have a team who had an 11 game losing streak with a chance to be over 500 before the break, completely healthy for the first time all year, which are 7-1 the last eight as a home favorite, 10-1 last 11 as a favorite and all numbers point to under for them in this situation. This is important because the Islanders are built on defense as they are 24-13 under this year and giving up 2.2 goals a game in their last 10.

With all the healthy guys back, we expect Seattle to score only 1-2 goals tonight and New York to score 3-4. This is the first matchup between these teams as it is a rescheduled game, and we feel the Islanders will win in regulation 3-1. They don't want to go extra; they want the win and a nice long All-Star break being OVER .500 for the first time all year. So we will take New York 3 ways or regulation -120. You can lay the juice if you want, but we feel confident in a regulation victory to end the first half tonight.

Islanders vs. Kraken Pick

• Islanders in Regulation (-120) (Bet $120 to Win $100)

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