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New York Islanders vs Florida Panthers: Can Florida get back on top of the East?

The New York Islanders are visiting the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday.

The Islanders are with their backs against the wall

The New York Islanders are tenth in the Eastern Conference with a 30-26-15 record. They have lost seven of the last eight games and are coming off a 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils. The Islanders are 21st in the league, scoring 2.97 goals per game, and are ranked two spots lower, allowing 3.31 goals per game. Mathew Barzal leads the team with 73 points for the season.

The Panthers have split the last ten games

The Florida Panthers are third in the Eastern Conference with a 46-21-5 record. They have lost five of the last six games and are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. The Panthers are the best defensive team in the league, being on top of the NHL, allowing 2.43 goals per game, and are ranked second with a 91.5 save percentage. Sam Reinhart leads the team with 84 points so far this season.

Betting Trends

Florida has won 6 of the last 8 games against the Islanders. The Panthers are 1-5 SU in the last six games, 1-4 SU in the last five home games, and 1-4 SU in the last five games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Islanders are 1-7 SU in the last 8 games overall, 1-4 SU in the last five games on the road, and 0-6 SU in the last six games against teams from the Eastern Conference.

Prediction and Conclusion

Both teams are having their worst week of the season, and it comes at the worst possible time. The Panthers were on top of the Eastern Conference days ago but have dropped to third place after a disappointing home loss to one of the competitors for the top seed in the conference, the Boston Bruins. The Islanders are three- points shy of the last team that holds a playoff spot, and their current form does not look promising at all. They failed to score against the Devils in the last game, and scoring will not be easy in Florida against the best defensive team in the league. Given that, the Panthers will get back on the winning track with a comfortable win over the Islanders.