Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders Picks and Predictions December 29th 2024

Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders December 29th 2024

Betting on today’s Islanders and Penguins game? Catch the action at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, as the Penguins hosts this showdown at 5:30 ET on ESPN+. This Metropolitan division matchup has an over/under of 6 goals, and the Penguins are favored by -1.5 at home vs. the Islanders.

New York vs. Pittsburgh Key Information

• Teams: Islanders at Penguins
• Where: PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh
• Date: Sunday, December 29th
• Betting Odds PIT -119 | NYI -101 O/U 6

The Islanders Can Win If…

After a 5-2 loss to the Rangers, the Islanders are now 14-15-7 this season. The total for the game was set at 6 goals, but the combined 7 goals pushed the game over the line. As the underdogs on the puck line, the Islanders failed to cover.

New York fell behind early, giving up a goal just 3:44 into the first period. They were down 2-0 before Casey Cizikas scored at 15:22 in the second period. The Rangers added another goal in the second and two more in the third, including an empty-netter, to seal the win.

The Islanders fired 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, just 8 seconds before the end of the second period.

Simon Holmstrom picked up his fourth assist on Cizikas’ goal, and Kyle Palmieri earned his fourth assist on Nelson’s. The Islanders had 23 giveaways in the game.

The Islanders’ defense gave up the first goal just 3:44 into the game and allowed two more in the 3rd period, including an empty-netter, leading to a 5-2 loss to the Rangers. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves with a save percentage of 89.7%, while the Islanders’ defense recorded 12 takeaways and 17 hits.

• New York has put together a record 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 3-0.
• The Islanders have gone 5-5 over their last ten regular season games. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 4-6 and an over-under mark of 7-2-1.

The Penguins Can Win If…

With a 3-1 win over the Canadiens, the Penguins moved to 16-16-5 on the season. Pittsburgh covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the 6.5 line.

Sidney Crosby scored twice for the Penguins, who had two players find the net in the game. The Canadiens scored their only goal in the third period, before Pittsburgh added an empty-netter to seal the victory.

Sidney Crosby netted his 4th and 5th goals of the season, with his second coming on a power play in the second period. Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter for his 2nd goal of the year.

The Penguins took 24 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways. They scored their first goal at 4:03 in the first period and added another at 1:20 in the second.

Defensively, the Penguins will look to carry over their performance from their last game, where they allowed just one goal to Montreal. Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic posted a 96.2% save percentage, stopping 25 shots. The defense also contributed 5 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goal they allowed came at the 5:32 mark of the 3rd period.

• Over their last three regular season games, the Penguins have gone 1-2 straight up. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 1-2 and an over-under mark of 2-1.
• Pittsburgh has put together a record of 5-5 in their last ten games (regular season). Their record vs the puck line sits at 6-4 in these matchups, while posting a 6-4 over-under mark.

The Lean

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Penguins to defeat the Islanders while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -119, I’m placing a wager on the Penguins to win outright.

If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Islanders to cover. Even if the Penguins manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Islanders should cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

Penguins Bid to Settle Score in Rematch vs. Islanders

The Pittsburgh Penguins are seeking redemption as they host the New York Islanders on Sunday in the second half of a back-to-back series. After falling 6-3 on the road Saturday, the Penguins aim to respond with a stronger effort in front of their home crowd.

Pittsburgh Looks to Rebound

Pittsburgh’s return from the holiday break didn’t go as planned, with a lackluster performance in Saturday’s loss. Defenseman Erik Karlsson expressed the team’s determination to bounce back quickly:

“The only good thing is that we get to play another game against the same guys in less than 24 hours,” Karlsson said. “We all know we have to be a lot better.”

Coach Mike Sullivan echoed Karlsson’s sentiment, highlighting the Penguins’ failure to stick to their usual game plan:

“We didn’t play a conscientious game. Our decisions with the puck weren’t where they needed to be. Simplicity and playing straight ahead are what we talked about, and we didn’t do it well enough.”

The Penguins recently have benefitted from contributions by Rickard Rakell and Michael Bunting. Rakell added two points Saturday, giving him five in his past two games, while Bunting has tallied three goals in his last two outings. However, Pittsburgh knows they must shore up defensively to regain momentum after losing two of their last three games.

Islanders Find Spark in Recent Play

The Islanders, who scored a season-high six goals on Saturday, are beginning to find their form after a tough start to the season. With two wins in their past three games, New York is just two points behind Pittsburgh and remains in the thick of the playoff hunt.

“We didn’t veer away from our game,” Islanders forward Casey Cizikas said after scoring twice on Saturday. “We accepted the challenge at hand, and the way our group played in the third period, there’s a lot of good things to take away from that.”

New York’s resurgence has been fueled by the return of key players. Mathew Barzal, back from a 21-game injury absence, notched his first five-on-five point of the season with an assist. Anthony Duclair has made an immediate impact since returning from a lower-body injury, collecting points in all three games.

The Islanders’ captain, Anders Lee, who scored twice on Saturday, emphasized the importance of sticking to their game:

“We made some great plays to get some goals, and we played the right way in the third period.”

Keys to the Rematch

For Pittsburgh

• Tighten Defensive Play: The Penguins must limit turnovers and maintain structure in their defensive zone to counter New York’s offensive surges.
• Depth Contributions: Secondary scorers like Rakell and Bunting will need to step up again, while the team looks for stars like Sidney Crosby to take charge.

For New York

• Maintain Pressure: The Islanders will aim to replicate their forechecking success from Saturday and continue capitalizing on Pittsburgh’s mistakes.
• Balanced Scoring: With Barzal and Duclair back in the mix, New York’s depth scoring becomes a crucial advantage.

Discover detailed insights in NHL Atlantic Division Odds & Predictions.

Outlook

Both teams are in critical positions as they fight for playoff contention. For Pittsburgh, defending their home ice and responding to Saturday’s loss will be pivotal. Meanwhile, the Islanders are riding momentum and a revitalized lineup into this rematch.

Sunday’s game promises to be an intense, high-stakes showdown between two Metropolitan Division foes.