Anaheim Ducks vs New York Islanders Picks and Predictions March 9th 2025

Anaheim Ducks vs New York Islanders March 9th 2025

Don’t miss out on the NHL showdown between the Islanders and Ducks. The game is starting at 9:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Ducks at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Get ready to place your bets! The Islanders come into this non-conference matchup favored by -1.5 goals. The over/under line currently sits at 5.5 goals.

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New York vs. Anaheim Key Information

• Teams: Islanders at Ducks
• Where: Honda Center Anaheim
• Date: Sunday, March 9th
• Betting Odds NYI -121 | ANA -101 O/U 5.5

The Islanders Can Win If…

With a 5-2 loss to the Rangers, the Islanders are now 29-26-7 this season. The total line was set at 6 goals, and the combined 7 goals went over. The Islanders, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover.

After falling behind 2-0, Casey Cizikas put the Islanders on the board at 15:22 in the second period. Brock Nelson added another goal for the Islanders, reducing the deficit to 3-2, but the Rangers responded with two more goals to seal the game.

Casey Cizikas netted his first goal of the season, while Brock Nelson added his fifth in the Islanders’ 5-2 loss to the Rangers. Nelson’s goal came with just 8 seconds left in the second period. Pierre Engvall and Simon Holmstrom picked up assists, with Holmstrom now at four assists for the season.

The Islanders fired 37 shots on goal but were held scoreless in the first and third periods. They struggled with giveaways, recording 23 in the game.

On the defensive side, the Islanders gave up the first goal just 3:44 into the game and allowed two more in the 3rd period, including an empty-netter. Ilya Sorokin finished with 35 saves and an 89.7% save percentage.

• The Islanders have posted a 2-1 record in their previous three games. This also includes going 2-1 puck line and an over-under mark of 0-2-1.
• The Islanders have gone 5-5 over their last ten regular season games. This includes going 6-4 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 4-4-2.

The Ducks Can Win If…

With a 4-2 loss to the Blackhawks, Anaheim dropped to 27-28-7 on the season. The Ducks were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined score of 6 fell just short.

The Ducks trailed 3-0 before scoring in the third period. Brock McGinn got Anaheim on the board at 10:16 in the third, and Mason McTavish added another goal with just 4 seconds left in the game.

Anaheim took 39 shots on goal against Chicago but only managed to score twice, with both goals coming in the third period. Brock McGinn netted his second goal of the season, while Mason McTavish also added his second, with McTavish’s goal coming on a power play with just four seconds left in the game.

Ryan Strome, now with four assists this season, and Troy Terry, who picked up his fifth assist, helped on McTavish’s late goal. The Ducks had 16 giveaways in the game.

Anaheim’s defense struggled early, giving up the first three goals, including two power-play tallies. Lukas Dostal made 25 saves with an 86.2% save percentage, but the Ducks fell 4-2 to Chicago.

• Anaheim has put together a record of 1-2 in their last three games (regular season). They have held up well vs the puck line in these matchups, going 3-0 as well as an over-under record of 2-1.
• Across Anaheim’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 5-5. Their record against the puck line in this stretch is 9-1 to go along with an over-under mark of 5-5.

The Lean

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Ducks to defeat the Islanders while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -101, I’m placing a wager on the Ducks to win outright.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Ducks winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Ducks straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 5.5 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

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Islanders Could Vault in Standings With Win Over Ducks

By trading only Brock Nelson this week, general manager Lou Lamoriello committed to the challenge of trying to retool the New York Islanders while keeping them in contention.

The Islanders have a chance to make the task look a little more manageable Sunday night, when they continue a three-game California road trip by visiting the Anaheim Ducks.

Islanders Eyeing Playoff Push

New York will complete a back-to-back set after never trailing in a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night. The win marked the Islanders’ fourth in their past five games (4-1-0), keeping them within striking distance of a playoff berth.

The Islanders currently sit three points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers in the race for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. With 65 points, they could leapfrog the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Boston Bruins—who each have 66 points and are idle Sunday—with a win against the Ducks.

Lamoriello, a Hall of Famer who built three Stanley Cup-winning teams with the New Jersey Devils, acknowledged that while changes are coming in the offseason, his focus remains on making a push for the postseason.

“There will be change this summer,” Lamoriello said before Saturday’s game. “Until there’s change, you can’t say how much. But I can assure you there’ll be change.”

In the meantime, veterans like Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau—who were potential trade candidates—will look to lead New York to its sixth playoff appearance in Lamoriello’s seven seasons.

“The focus right now is we’re four points out,” Lamoriello said. “And that’s the way our coaches are feeling. That’s the way our players are feeling.”

Ducks Focused on Development Amid Rebuild

The Ducks, who have one of the youngest rosters in the NHL, took a measured approach at the trade deadline. They acquired Oliver Kylington from the Islanders after the Nelson trade and moved defenseman Brian Dumoulin to the New Jersey Devils for prospect Herman Traff and a conditional second-round pick.

Anaheim is nine points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card spot, making a playoff push unlikely. However, their 61 points already surpass their totals from the previous two seasons, and they are on pace for their best finish since collecting 80 points in 2018-19.

“We’re going to look to always keep improving,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. “That’s just our mindset here. But at the same time, we’re allowing our young guys to keep pushing ahead and developing. We’re going to see how this group can do in the last 20 games, and I’m excited for this group.”

With both teams aiming for strong finishes to the season, Sunday’s matchup presents an important opportunity for the Islanders to stay in the playoff hunt while the Ducks continue developing their young core.

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