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New York Islanders vs Pittsburgh Penguins December 28th 2024
Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Penguins versus the Islanders? The puck drops at 7:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. This Metropolitan division matchup has an over/under of 6 goals, and the Islanders are favored by -1.5 at home vs. the Penguins.
Pittsburgh vs. New York Key Information
- Teams: Penguins at Islanders
- Where: UBS Arena Elmont
- Date: Saturday, December 28th
- Betting Odds NYI -141 | PIT +119 O/U 6
The Penguins Can Win If…
With a 3-1 win over the Canadiens, the Penguins moved above .500, now sitting at 16-15-5. Pittsburgh covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the 6.5 set before the game.
Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, scoring at 4:03 in the first period and adding another at 1:20 in the second. The Canadiens cut the lead to 2-1 in the third period, but Blake Lizotte sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:15.
Sidney Crosby led the way for the Penguins with two goals, bringing his season total to 5. He found the net early, scoring 4:03 into the game, and added a second goal on a power play at 1:20 in the second period.
Blake Lizotte added his second goal of the season on an empty net with 45 seconds left in the game. The Penguins took 24 shots on goal and had 14 giveaways.
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Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 25 shots with a 96.2% save percentage, leading the Penguins to a 3-1 victory. Pittsburgh’s defense added 5 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goal they allowed came at 5:32 in the 3rd period, cutting their lead to 2-1.
- Pittsburgh will look to keep things rolling as they have put together a mark of 2-1 over their past three games. In these games, they have a 2-1 record vs the puck line and an over-under mark of 2-1.
- Over their last ten regular season games, the Penguins have gone 6-4 straight up. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 7-3, in addition to an over-under mark of 6-4.
The Islanders Can Win If…
Following a 5-2 loss to the Rangers, the Islanders’ record dropped to 13-15-7. The Islanders’ defense allowed the first goal at 16:16 in the first period, and they never caught up.
The total for the game was set at 6 goals, and the combined 7 goals surpassed that. The Islanders, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover. They didn’t score until the second period, when Casey Cizikas found the net at 15:22.
The Islanders took 37 shots on goal in their 5-2 loss to the Rangers but only found the net twice. Casey Cizikas scored his first goal of the season, while Brock Nelson added his fifth, with Nelson’s goal coming just 8 seconds before the end of the second period.
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New York had 23 giveaways in the game and scored both of their goals in the second period. Pierre Engvall, Simon Holmstrom, Kyle Palmieri, and Anders Lee each picked up an assist.
On the defensive side, the Islanders allowed the first goal just 3:44 into the game, and after closing the gap to 3-2 late in the second period, they gave up two more in the third. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves with an 89.7% save percentage, but the defense also gave up an empty-net goal at 16:37 in the third period.
- Through their last three regular season contests, New York has a record of 1-2. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 1-2, in addition to an over-under mark of 2-1.
- The Islanders have gone 4-6 over their last ten regular season games. Their record vs the puck line sits at 3-7 in these matchups, while posting a 6-3-1 over-under mark.
The Lean
When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Islanders to come out with a win against the Penguins while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at -141, I’m placing my bet on the Islanders to win outright.
For a puck line prediction, our preference is the Islanders to secure a win and cover. Anticipate the Islanders to win this one by multiple goals over the Penguins.
For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.
Surging Penguins Take on Struggling Islanders in Key Metropolitan Matchup
Two teams moving in opposite directions meet Saturday night as the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., to kick off a home-and-home series.
Penguins Riding Momentum
The Penguins entered the NHL’s holiday break on a roll, winning nine of their last 13 games (9-3-1). Their surge has propelled them into fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, just one point shy of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. This turnaround began Nov. 27, when Pittsburgh, then last in the division, secured a morale-boosting 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Since then, the Penguins’ offense has been electric, scoring five or more goals in seven of their last 13 games. Key veterans like Bryan Rust, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang have reignited their scoring touch, combining for 17 goals since Nov. 27 after managing just 12 in the first 23 games. Captain Sidney Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, has fueled the offense with 16 assists over the same span.
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas praised the team’s resilience during a recent SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast:
“I think you learn a lot about your group when you struggle and get into a bit of a funk — can you bring yourself back out of it? I’m proud of the group for the way they responded.”
Islanders Searching for Answers
The Islanders, on the other hand, have been reeling. Monday’s 7-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres marked their highest goals allowed this season and extended a frustrating campaign. They’ve slipped to last place in the Metropolitan Division and sit five points out of a playoff spot.
New York has struggled against weaker competition, going 6-10-4 against teams outside the playoff picture. Monday’s blowout against Buffalo highlighted defensive lapses, as the Islanders fell behind 5-0 early.
Despite having a core group of 11 players from their back-to-back trips to the league semifinals in 2020 and 2021, the Islanders have struggled to replicate that success. They also retain 17 players from the teams that mounted late-season surges to make the playoffs in each of the past two years, but time is running out for a similar comeback.
Islanders forward Bo Horvat acknowledged the uphill battle:
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“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. It’s not going to be an easy road to get back to where we want to get, but we have no one to blame but ourselves.”
What to Watch
- Pittsburgh’s Offense: The Penguins’ resurgence has been fueled by their core veterans, and continued production from Crosby, Malkin, and Letang will be critical.
- Islanders’ Defense: After allowing seven goals to Buffalo, New York must tighten up defensively to avoid being overrun by Pittsburgh’s high-powered attack.
- Urgency in Elmont: With time running out for the Islanders to salvage their season, expect an all-out effort to avoid falling further behind in the playoff race.
Head-to-Head
The Penguins and Islanders will meet again on Monday in Pittsburgh to conclude the home-and-home series. The outcomes of these games could significantly impact both teams’ trajectories as the playoff push heats up.
