The NHL playoffs start tomorrow and the New York Islanders will be taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins. The familiar faces will meet again and both teams are looking to make a deep run in the postseason. It is a tough draw to start out for the Islanders but they were sluggish down the stretch, just as they were last year. However, last season they were able to flip the switch. As for Pittsburgh, it has been a while since they have advanced deep into the playoffs but this team is far deeper than the rosters of the last four years. It will be a battle for the Islanders but as we have seen, anything can happen in the NHL Playoffs.
Stanley Cup Odds
Stanley Cup OddsNew York is coming in as big underdogs, as they are the sixth-lowest team on the odds table for the Stanley Cup. It makes sense given the up and down nature of the season and the fact there are several giants that should be higher favorites. At +2200 they are already underdogs within the first series of the postseason but have lesser odds than the Oilers, Panthers, and Capitals. New York’s defense has been up and down this season but we know how well they can play. These two teams know each other well having already played each other in the playoffs two of the last three years. “I think anytime you play a team like the Islanders, they’re structured so well and they play so well defensively,” Penguins forward Bryan Rust said.
Series Odds Vs Pittsburgh
This won’t be news Islanders fans want to hear, but the Islanders are not favorites to make it out of the first round. They come in at +115, making the Penguins -141 favorites to advance. This isn’t a massive number, as only a few teams have such massive lines in their favor. Getting out of this round will be a start and with the Bruins/Capitals and Lightning/Panthers going to eliminate one or the other, things will dwindle down. Carolina and Toronto are the bigger favorites, while Vegas and Colorado are big favorites on the other side.
