The Tampa Bay Lightning (2-3-0) play host to the New York Islanders (2-2-0) at Amalie Arena on Saturday. The Lightning are -170 favorites, and the total is 6.New York is coming off a 4-1 loss against the Devils on Thursday. The Islanders committed four penalties in the game, though they held New Jersey without a power play goal. Anders Lee was the only player to find the net for the Islanders. Ilya Sorokin saved an impressive 39 of 42 shots (.928%) in the loss.
Tampa Bay is playing the second of a back-to-back after earning a 3-2 overtime win over the Panthers yesterday. Brayden Point scored twice to lead the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy was impressive in the win, making 36 saves (.947%).
HEAD TO HEAD
The Lightning won all three games between the teams last season, including a 6-4 victory in their final meeting in April, their fourth straight win against New York. Steven Stamkos (3G 0A) and Ondrej Palat (0G 3A) each had three points to lead Tampa Bay. Four players were on the scoresheet for New York. Vasilevskiy got the win despite allowing four goals on 37 shots (.891%).
FACING OFF
New York is averaging 3.50 goals per game so far this season, 14th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Lightning team that is allowing 3.20 goals a game (15th). Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has found the net 2.60 times a game on average, 29th in the league, and won’t find goals any easier to come by against the Islanders’ stout defense, which is holding opponents to 2.50 goals per game (5th).
The Lightning’s fourth-ranked power play offense (31.82%) will face a challenging test against the Islanders, who are the league’s best penalty killing team (100.00%). New York, meanwhile, has scored on just 8.33% of their power play opportunities (28th), which the away team will be seeking to add to against Tampa Bay’s 17th-ranked 78.95% penalty killing rate.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With five points already this season, Lee is the top skater for the Islanders. He has two goals and three assists in four games. In the net, Semyon Varlamov (1-0-0) is New York’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.00 GAA and a .929% save percentage. Sorokin (1-2-0) leads the Islanders in games played in goal.
He has a GAA of 2.06 and a save percentage of .935%.Stamkos leads the Lightning in scoring with nine points (4th in the league). He has a league-best seven goals and two assists () in five games. Vasilevskiy (2-2-0) has the best goals against average for Tampa Bay at 2.52. He has a save percentage of .922%.The Lightning are 0-1 without a day off and 0-1 playing with a rest disadvantage.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
NY Islanders (+140)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
