Defense Key for Winnipeg
The New York Islanders will have their organizational depth tested over the next few weeks with injuries continuing to mount, and the next challenge comes Wednesday when the Winnipeg Jets pay a visit.
The Islanders were already without four regular forwards before star center Mathew Barzal was lost indefinitely with a lower-body injury after Saturday’s loss to the Boston Bruins. New York responded by rallying with three third-period goals in a 4-2 road victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.
“This team, say whatever you want about us, but we’re going to battle and we’re going to fight until the end,” Islanders captain Anders Lee told reporters. “That’s a full team win. Really proud of our guys tonight. It could’ve gone another way, and we pushed through.”
Winnipeg also comes in following a gritty victory, getting 50 saves from Connor Hellebuyck for a 4-1 triumph at the New York Rangers. The win ended the Rangers’ 10-game point streak.
The Jets have plenty of offensive talent, but they rely on Hellebuyck and a defense ranked third in the league in goals against through Monday (2.60). According to Las Vegas NHL odds, the under is 8-0-1 in Winnipeg’s last nine games.
Let’s check the latest NHL news, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines. We’ve got plenty of NHL picks for you to consider.
Jets Seek Road Split
Winnipeg Jets dropped the first two of its four-game trip before receiving a pair of goals from Mark Scheifele and three points from Kyle Connor to beat the red-hot Rangers,
Scheifele has five goals in his last six contests and Connor, who tops the Jets with 65 points, boasts two tallies and six assists in the same span as the Jets remained close for the Central Division lead.
Hellebuyck (2.39 goals-against average, .926 save percentage) is the backbone for Winnipeg while defenseman Josh Morrissey is having a breakout season with a career-high 58 points – seven, along with a +5 rating, in his past six games.
According to NHL betting lines, the under is 21-5-1 in the last 27 games against the Eastern Conference and 12-3-1 in the past 16 third game-in-four-days scenario.
New York on Edge
The New York Islanders currently hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference wild card race, which included seven teams within seven points for two playoff positions entering Tuesday.
In addition to Barzal, right wing Josh Bailey is questionable while fellow forwards Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Cal Clutterbuck are out indefinitely and young Oliver Wahlstrom has been lost for the season due to injuries.
Center Bo Horvat has helped, posting four goals and two assists in eight games since being acquired from Vancouver.
New York is 4-7-2 versus the Central after five consecutive defeats (0-3-2). The Last Vegas NHL odds total went under in six of the last seven Islanders games against the Western Conference.
Jets vs Islanders Game Injuries
Jets vs Islanders Head-to-Head
New York has won the past five meetings, outscoring the Jets 14-4 in the last four, including a 5-2 triumph at home last March.
Winnipeg was also third in the league in penalty-killing (84 percent) through Monday while the Islanders stood fifth (82.1) and ninth in goals-against (2.77). The under is 4-2-1 in the last seven meetings while the road team is 12-5 in the past 17.
Hellebuyck is 3-4-0 with a .910 SP in his career against the Islanders. The former Vezina winner has a .922 lifetime SP versus the West and .909 against the East. New York’s Ilya Sorokin posted a 2-0 shutout in his only start against the Jets last season.
According to the NHL conference odds, the Islanders are +2800 to win the East (10th). Winnipeg is +1000 to take the West (tied fifth).
Jets vs Islanders Game Information
- Game: Jets (35-21-1) vs Islanders (29-24-7)
- Day/Time: Wednesday, Feb 22, 7 p.m. ET
- Location: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
- Jets vs Islanders Live Stream: NHL.TV
Jets vs Islanders Betting Lines
Jets vs Islanders Picks and Prediction
Both teams have been up and down over the past few weeks, but the one constant has been the man in net.
Hellebuyck is currently second and Sorokin (2.43 GA, .924 SP) third in the Vezina Trophy odds, according to NHL betting lines.
If you are online gambling, it would be difficult to go against the under if both stalwarts start between the pipes. Meanwhile, the Jets have been the better team much of the season and are a respectable 15-13-1 on the road along with 33-24 against the spread.
The Jets are listed at +105 in our Las Vegas NHL odds. This means that if you wager $100 on Winnipeg, you have a chance to win $105. The Islanders are -125, offering a chance to win $80 on a $100 wager. The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Jets a 48.78% chance to win, with New York at 55.56%.
Jets vs Islanders Trends
Jets vs Islanders Edge
Jets vs Islanders Results
Jets vs Islanders Game Summary
