The Dallas Stars and New York Islanders meet Thursday in NHL action at the UBS Arena. Here’s an Islanders vs. Stars Prediction. This article will include an Islanders vs. Stars Pick.
Dallas Stars Betting Preview
The Dallas Stars lost to the Golden Knights and Devils and play the Penguins next. The Stars have lost 4 of their last 5 games.
The Dallas Stars are averaging 3.37 goals per game and are scoring on 29 percent of their power play opportunities. Wyatt Johnston leads Dallas with 40 goals, Mikko Rantanen has 50 assists, and Jason Robertson has 254 shots on goal. Defensively, the Dallas Stars are allowing 2.7 goals per game and are killing 80.9 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jake Oettinger has allowed 119 goals on 1,194 shots faced, while Casey DeSmith has given up 63 goals on 682 shots.
New York Islanders Betting Preview
The New York Islanders lost to the Blackhawks, beat the Blue Jackets, and play the Panthers next. The Islanders have split their last 12 games.
The New York Islanders are averaging 2.85 goals per game and are scoring 16.4 percent of their power play opportunities. Bo Horvat leads New York with 29 goals, Mathew Barzal has 47 assists and Matthew Schaefer has 187 shots on goal. Defensively, the New York Islanders are allowing 2.79 goals per game and are killing 81.3 percent of their opponent’s power plays. David Rittich has allowed 73 goals on 696 shots faced, and Ilya Sorokin has given up 114 goals on 1,307 shots.
Why the New York Islanders will win
- The underdogs have won each of the Stars’ last five games.
- The Stars have lost each of their last four games as favorites.
- The underdogs have covered the puck line in each of the Islanders’ last seven games at UBS Arena.
- The Stars have failed to cover the puck line in 13 of their last 14 games as favorites against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- The Islanders have won the first period in seven of their last eight games following a loss.
Why the Dallas Stars will win
- The Islanders have lost seven of their last eight home games against opponents on a losing streak.
- The Stars have won six of their last seven road games.
- The Islanders have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last eight home games against opponents on a losing streak.
- The Stars have covered the puck line in each of their last four road games following a loss.
- The Stars have won the third period in each of their last four games as road favorites following a loss.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Islanders’ last five games against Central Division opponents has gone OVER the total goals line.
- Each of the Stars’ last four road games following a loss has gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Seven of the last eight Thursday games at UBS Arena have gone OVER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 2.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in eight of the Islanders’ last nine night games at UBS Arena.
- The ‘Over 2.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in three of the Stars’ last four games following a loss.
New York Islanders Player Prop Facts
- Anthony Duclair has scored at least one goal in each of his last three home appearances against the Stars.
- Mathew Barzal has recorded at least one assist in each of the Islanders’ last four games against Central Division opponents.
Dallas Stars Player Prop Facts
- Wyatt Johnston has scored at least one goal in five of the Stars’ last six games as favorites.
- Mikko Rantanen has recorded an assist in each of his last five appearances.
Matchup/League Facts
- The New York Islanders rank 4th in the league for goals against per game this season (2.79).
- The New York Islanders rank T29th in the league in power play percentage this season (16.43%).
- The Dallas Stars rank 2nd in the league for goals against per game this season (2.70).
- The Dallas Stars rank 2nd in the league in power play percentage this season (29.03%).
Islanders vs Stars Prediction
The Stars are going to be favored based off their body of work, as they’re arguably the best team in the league. However, the Stars have cooled off this week, losing 4 of their last 5 games and slipping defensively. The Islanders have had issues with consistency all season and are a team I usually can’t figure out. However, the Islanders are at home and need wins to improve their playoff chances. You’re going to get a motivated Islanders side, and the Stars are vulnerable given their current form. This may come back to bite me, but I’ll take a stab with the Islanders and the more favorable price.