New York Islanders vs. Carolina Hurricanes Prediction: Should We Keep Fading the Islanders?
New York Islanders vs. Carolina Hurricanes Prediction: Should We Keep Fading the Islanders?
Saturday was quite an eventful day for the NHL, with 12 games taking place that included overtime thrillers, high-scoring blowouts, and everything in between. Sunday's slate is no slouch, either—11 games, starting at 1PM Eastern, are set to occur. One of the early games, a matinee between the division-leading Hurricanes and the Islanders, is one towards which I'd like to focus your attention.
Islanders vs. Hurricanes Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
Date: Sunday, April 24
Game Time: 1:00 pm ET
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Puck Line: Hurricanes -1 (+128)
Click Here for Islanders vs. Hurricanes Odds
Islanders vs. Hurricanes Line Movement
Islanders vs. Hurricanes Prediction
The Hurricanes (51-20-8) have won three straight, including a 3-2 overtime victory over the Devils on Saturday in which they overcame a late, two-goal deficit. Carolina has stepped up their game of late—specifically, they have increasingly dominated their opponents at even strength. It tends to bode well for a team's playoff hopes if they end the regular season on a hot streak, and the Canes have taken significant strides to that end. They will be a tough out when the playoffs start in just over a week.
The Islanders, on the other hand, have seen their season go completely off the rails. They have lost four straight; three of those losses came by a margin of two or more goals. New York's cold run is no fluke, given that they have lost the expected goals battle in nearly all of their games since early April. They are arguably the most downtrending in the entire league, something that the oddsmakers are failing to sufficiently price into the odds.
Carolina has been among the league's best even-strength squads all season. Their 5v5 expected goals share of 55.46% ranks third in the NHL, trailing only Florida and Boston. Meanwhile, the Islanders sit in 24th with a share of 47.19%. This suggests that the Hurricanes are likely to control possession and dictate the play of this game, generating far more offense than they will concede.
The Hurricanes also have better special teams than the Islanders. Carolina's power play ranks 12th with a scoring rate of 22.1%; New York's trails in 20th with a conversion rate of 19.8%. Better yet, the Canes have the league's top penalty kill, one that has successfully killed off 88.1% of their penalties. In other words, the Isles' PP will pose little threat in this contest.
This game features two teams who are currently playing at wildly different levels. Carolina is gearing up for a deep playoff run by storming to the finish line with a flurry of wins, while New York is simply waiting for the season to end. I've bet against the Islanders in each of their last two outings, both of which proved to be profitable decisions. Let's see if we can make it three straight. I've split my stake between the moneyline and the puck line, but feel free to pick just one, based on your risk tolerance.
Islanders vs. Hurricanes Picks
- Hurricanes ML (-155) (Bet $155 to Win $100)
- Hurricanes -1.5 (+175) (Bet $100 to win $175)