Two of the NHL’s top defenses are set to face off at PNC Arena on Sunday, as the New York Islanders (+145) travel to face the Carolina Hurricanes (-170).
The total is 5.5 (O: -120, U: +100)Both teams will be playing on back-to-back days. The Islanders are 8-6 without a day off, while the Hurricanes are 8-4. New York (39-29-9) is coming off a 5-0 loss against the Lightning yesterday.
The Islanders committed four penalties in the game, conceding one power play goal. Ilya Sorokin started in the loss and saved only 17 of 21 shots against (.809%).
Carolina (48-18-9) beat the Canadiens 3-0 yesterday. Paul Stastny, Sebastian Aho, and Brady Skjei scored one apiece for the Hurricanes. Stastny added an assist to lead the team in scoring. Antti Raanta recorded the shutout with 14 saves.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Hurricanes have won two of the three games between the teams this season, including a 5-2 victory in their most recent meeting in January. Aho led Carolina with three goals. Simon Holmstrom and Brock Nelson were on the scoresheet for New York. Frederik Andersen got the win, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935%).
FACING OFF
New York is averaging 2.92 goals per game for the season, 22nd in the NHL, and they are taking on a Hurricanes team that is allowing just 2.56 goals a game (2nd).
Meanwhile, Carolina has found the net 3.23 times a game on average, 15th in the league, and the Islanders are holding opponents to 2.69 goals per game (5th).
Carolina averages more shots/game (35.0) than most teams in the league, ranking third, though the team’s 9.4% shooting percentage is 26th. New York has been up to the task of stopping shots, ranking No. 3 with a team save percentage of .920%.
The Islanders’ 31st-ranked power play offense (15.71%) will face a challenging test against the Hurricanes, who are the league’s second-best penalty killing team (83.83%).
Carolina, meanwhile, has scored on 20.69% of their power play opportunities (18th), which the hosts will be aiming to improve on against New York’s 11th-ranked 81.78% penalty killing rate.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 69 points this season, Nelson is the top skater for the Islanders. He has 32 goals and 37 assists in 77 games. In the net, Sorokin (28-20-7) is New York’s top goaltender. He has a 2.41 GAA and a .922% save percentage, third-best in the league.
Martin Necas and Aho lead the Hurricanes in scoring with 68 and 64 points, respectively. Necas has 27 goals and 41 assists in 75 games, while Aho has 34 goals and 30 assists in 68 games.
Pyotr Kochetkov (12-7-5) has the best goals against average for Carolina at 2.44. He has a save percentage of .909%. Andersen (19-9-1) has played the most games in net for the Hurricanes this season. He has a 2.47 GAA and a .903% save percentage.
HOME AND AWAY
New York is 17-16-6 away from UBS Arena this season. Carolina is 25-10-3 at PNC Arena this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Carolina Hurricanes (-175)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
