This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Bets for February 20: Expert Picks and Props for Islanders vs. Penguins
The New York Islanders (28-24-7) travel to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins (27-19-9) for a Metropolitan Division battle at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Monday evening.
These teams are meeting for the third time in four games in the regular season. The Islanders picked up a 5-4 win against the Penguins on Friday as the Over easily connected.
Sidney Crosby opened the scoring midway through the first period on Friday, but Anders Lee quickly leveled the scoring. The Pens opened the second with a pair of goals from Rickard Rakell and Jason Zucker, and Pittsburgh held a 4-2 lead late in the period after Rakell answered a goal from Brock Nelson.
However, Lee scored an even-strength goal from Mathew Barzal and (the other) Sebastian Aho to cut the Pens' lead to 4-3. In the third, it was all Isles, as Nelson scored a power-play goal, and Zach Parise grabbed the winner at 17:17.
The Islanders are projected to start Ilya Sorokin (18-17-5, 2.44 GAA, .923 SV%, 5 SO), with the Penguins expected to counter with Casey DeSmith (10-12-4, 3.28 GAA, .904 SV%).
New York heads into this game with just one win in the past five games overall, but again, that win was against Pittsburgh. The Isles are still a dismal 3-9 in the past 12 games against Eastern Conference foes, while winning just once inthe past eight games on the road.
Pittsburgh has been ice-cold lately, too, however, going just 2-11 in the past 13 games against Eastern Conference opponents, while dropping eight in a row inside the Metro.
Based on New York's win last week, it's a good idea to side with the Isles, who have won six of the previous eight meetings in the series.
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NHL Money Line Bets for Islanders vs. Penguins
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- Islanders ML (+115 at Caesars)
The Islanders have cashed the Over in four of the past five games overall, while going 3-0-1 in the past four meetings in this series.
New York has managed to light the lamp at least two times in nine consecutive outings, while scoring at least twice in 12 of the past 13 games overall.
The Over has cashed at a 7-3-1 clip in the past 11 home games for the Penguins, while going 4-1 in the past five games against teams with a losing overall record, too.
The Penguins are so-so on offense, posting 3.2 goals per game (GPG) to rank 14th in the league, and it is just 17th on the power play. However, based upon the high-scoring game this past weekend, it's a good idea to lean Over here.
NHL Totals Bets for Islanders vs. Penguins
- Over 5.5 (-143 at SI)
NHL Player Props for Islanders vs. Penguins
Looking to the players props, there are a couple of very enticing options for this battle between Metropolitan Division foes.
The Islanders' Nelson has been red-hot lately, going for nine goals and 16 points across the past 13 games with a plus-3 rating, with three of the points coming on the man advantage.
Nelson had a six-game point streak snapped in Boston Saturday, but he had two goals and three points in the previous meeting with the Pens on Friday, and he has five goals and nine points across the past seven games overall. At this price point, he is worth a roll of the dice as an anytime goal scorer.
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- Brock Nelson Anytime Goal Scorer (+172 at FanDuel)
For the home side, Rakell is playing with a lot of confidence, posting three goals and six points during his current three-game point streak. That includes two goals and eight shots on goal (SOG) in the previous meeting against the Isles. He had managed 13 SOG across the past two games, too. As such, take a shot on the Over in SOG at plus-money, a tremendous value here.
- Rickard Rakell Over 3.5 Shots (+114 at FanDuel)
