The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins play Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series Tuesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at PPG Paints Arena. Below, we analyze the Islanders-Penguins odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Islanders snatched home-ice advantage from the top-seed Penguins with a 4-3 victory in overtime Sunday as deadline acquisition Kyle Palmieri played the hero with the game-winning goal.
The Penguins led 2-1 early in the second period, but Ilya Sorokin shut them down the rest of the way. Only Kasperi Kapanen was able to solve him in the final 52:43. Sorokin was making the start with Semyon Varlamov nursing a lower-body injury.
Islanders at Penguins: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:15 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Islanders +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Penguins -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Islanders +1.5 (-250) | Penguins -1.5 (+195)
- Over/Under: 5 (O: -140 | U: +115)
Islanders at Penguins: Projected starting goalies
Ilya Sorokin (13-6-3, 2.17 GAA, .918 SV%, 3 SO) vs. Tristan Jarry (25-9-3, 2.75 GAA, .909 SV%, 2 SO)
Sorokin was the surprise starter in Game 1 as head coach Barry Trotz said Semyon Varlamov would be available, but he sat due to a lower-body injury that apparently is more serious than initially believed. Sorokin did well stopping 39 of the 42 shots he faced.
Jarry turned aside 37 of the 41 shots he faced, but he could not keep Palmieri from being a hero in overtime. In fact, Palmieri accounted for two of his team’s four goals.
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Islanders at Penguins: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Penguins 3, Islanders 2
Money line (ML)
The PENGUINS (-135) are looking for the bounce-back, and they’ll get it behind Jarry in the Steel City. Offense wasn’t a problem in Game 1 as the Pens found the back of the net three times. But the defense and goaltending broke down a little bit in the third period.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Islanders +1.5 (-250) posted the win in Game 1, and they looked like an attractive play before the game started, but the price is just too high. The same holds true for Game 2. If you like the Isles, just play them straight up. I think this is another one-goal game, but this time it goes to the home side.
AVOID, and just stick with the money line.
Over/Under (O/U)
TOTAL 5 (O: -140, U: +115) is not worth playing. I think this one comes in right on the number. It might be a little on the pricey side, but OVER 4.5 (-225) on the alternate line might be a better play if you want action on the total. But it will cost you.
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