The Montreal Canadiens (30-28-9) tangle with the New York Islanders (35-21-8) Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Canadiens-Islanders sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Canadiens at Islanders: Projected starting goalies
Carey Price vs. Thomas Greiss
Price is 26-23-6 with a 2.76 goals against average and .910 save percentage across 55 starts. While he actually has a losing record since the All-Star break, going 6-7-2, his GAA is better than his season numbers at 2.54. He also has a 2.63 GAA on the road in 25 outings as opposed to a 2.87 in 30 contests at home. He allowed two goals on 23 shots in a 4-2 win over the Isles at Bell Centre in his only previous start vs. NYI this season.
Greiss is 16-8-3 with a 2.65 GAA and .916% SV% across 29 starts and two relief appearances. He is 9-2-1 with a 2.44 GAA and .917 SV% in 13 home games (12 starts). He lost to the Canadiens Dec. 23, yielding three goals on 39 shots.
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Canadiens at Islanders: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11:50 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Islanders 3, Canadiens 2
Moneyline (ML)
The ISLANDERS (-143) have rattled off five wins in the past seven home games, and they’re 5-1 in the past six as a home favorite. The Isles are also 15-5 in their past 20 against Atlantic Division foes, making them an attractive play against the Canadiens (+120). Montreal is just 3-7 in the past 10, and 2-5 in the past seven tries against winning teams.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Islanders ML returns a profit of $6.99 if they win, while a $10 wager on the Canadiens ML results in a profit of $12.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
This is going to be a close battle with strong goaltending. Goals will be at a premium. If the Islanders (-1.5, +185) do cover the puck line, bettors will likely need to sweat out an empty-net goal in the final seconds. Too risky. AVOID.
Over/Under (O/U)
PASS. The O/U is set at 5.5 (Over +100, Under -121). The under is a risky, considering the Over is 6-1 in the past seven for the Habs, and 5-0 in the past five against winning teams. However, the Under is 8-1 in the past nine for the Isles. The trends are all over the board, making this a play to AVOID.
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