Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
New York Islanders vs Philadelphia Flyers: A fight for the last playoff spot in the East
The New York Islanders are visiting the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Monday.
The Islanders are struggling lately
The New York Islanders are tenth in the Eastern Conference with a 31-27-15 record. They have lost eight of the last 10 games and are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders are 22nd in the league, averaging 2.95 goals per game, and are ranked a spot lower, allowing 3.30 goals per game. Mathew Barzal leads the team with 74 points, followed by Noah Dobson with 66.
The Flyers have lost the last four games
The Philadelphia Flyers are eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 36-29-10 record. They have lost the last four games and are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Flyers are 18th in the league, allowing 3.09 goals per game, and are ranked 24th, scoring 2.87. Travis Konecny leads the team with 64 goals so far this season.
Betting Trends
The last five games between these two teams have ended under the total goal line. The Flyers have stayed under in 4 of their last 6 games overall and 4 of the last 5 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Islanders have played under in 4 of their last 6 games overall.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams are struggling at this difficult point in the season, and this game will have a major impact on the final standings in the Eastern Conference and maybe even decide which of these two teams will make it to the postseason. The Flyers are in terrible shape, losing the last four and scoring no more than a single goal in three of those four. The 5-1 loss to Chicago in the last game is a major blow for the Flyers, and it will not be easy to recover. The Islanders have had many ups and downs during the season, and being tenth in the conference makes this a must-win game for them. Anyway, both teams are struggling offensively, and given their recent head-to-head history and the stakes, this one will finish under 6.5 goals in total.
