Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
New York Islanders vs New Jersey Devils: The Islanders can clinch the playoffs today
The New Jersey Devils are hosting the New York Islanders at Prudential Center on Monday.
The Islanders are one step away from the goal
The New York Islanders are seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 37-27-16 record. After winning six consecutive games, the Islanders lost 3-2 on a shootout against the New York Rangers. The Islanders are 20th in the league, allowing 3.16 goals per game, and are ranked 23rd, scoring 2.95. Mathew Barzal is the best player on the team, with 80 points so far in the season.
The Devils have a worse home than road record
The New Jersey Devils are 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 38-38-5 record. They have lost three of their last four games and are coming off a 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils are 12th in the league, scoring 3.25 goals per game, and are ranked 27th, allowing 3.42. Jesper Bratt is the best player on the team, with 82 points so far in the season.
Betting Trends
The Devils have won 4 of the last 6 games overall against the Islanders but the team from New York has won 8 of the last 11 games when visiting New Jersey. The Devils are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games overall and 1-4 SU in their last five home games. The Islanders are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games overall and 3-6 SU in the last nine games on the road.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Islanders have been holding on in the playoff conversation for the entire season and are now only one step away from reaching the goal with only two games left in the 2023–24 regular season. The Islanders are going into this one in seventh place in the East with a three-point advantage over the Detroit Red Wings, the Washington Capitals, and the Philadelphia Flyers. That is a promising situation for the Islanders since it will be a real miracle if they lose both games left on the schedule and the competition wins their matches. Anyway, the Islanders will try to get the job done today when they visit New Jersey and not go all-in against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last game. The Devils have no reason to push strong in this one, and they are only 17-20-3 at home this season. The Islanders will take advantage of the situation and book their ticket for the playoffs with a win tonight.
