New York Islanders at Chicago Blackhawks Betting Preview
The New York Islanders will head to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. eastern from the United Center.
Neither one of these teams is off to a very good start; both have not recorded a victory in at least two games. The Islanders are 0-2, giving up 11 goals in two games. The Blackhawks are 0-2-1 after a 2-5 loss to Pittsburgh Saturday night.
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Betting Lines & Odds
BetUs currently has the Islanders as the moneyline favorite at -115. The moneyline they have for the Blackhawks is at -105.
If you are thinking about taking the Blackhawks, you may want to head to BetOnline for better moneyline odds on the Blackhawks at +105. They also have a goals total of 5½ while the other sportsbook has it at 6.
Generating Offense for the Islanders
Through two games, the Islanders have only scored a combined four goals. While this offense has not necessarily been considered a powerhouse in years past, in 2020, they averaged almost three goals a game. The Islanders did not make many moves this offseason after last season saw them get to the final four in the playoffs.
Kyle Palmieri is off to a good start for the Islanders as he has accrued two points in two games assisting on two goals. The Islanders have four goals from four different players so far this season. One thing the Islanders need to look into, of the 10 points the team has gotten so far, only two of them have come from defensemen. Getting the defensemen involved in the offense a little bit more may help to spread the ice out a little bit.
Short Memory for the Blackhawks
The Blackhawks may have had one of the most miserable starts to a game on Saturday evening. Coming off an overtime loss Friday night, the Blackhawks had to play one of the best offensive teams in all of the hockey Saturday night. The Penguins wasted no time getting going, scoring four goals in the first period. Chicago looked tired, which is understandable playing their first back-to-back after an overtime game the night before.
Patrick Kane is off to another great start with a goal and three assists to start his 2021 campaign. Last season he finished with 66 points and is looking to crush that number this season. So far, only Dominik Kubalik and Kirby Dach are the only two on the team with multiple goals, each recording two.
Goaltender Matchup
The Islanders’ number one goaltender, Semyon Varlamov, is dealing with an undisclosed injury that has left him unable to play so far this season. Ilya Sorokin has started both games to start the season, and it is not going well. As a rookie last season, he played in 22 games and gave up just over two goals per game. The Islanders may turn to their backup goaltender Cory Schneider Tuesday night.
One of the biggest offseason moves in all of the NHL was the Chicago Blackhawks acquiring Marc-Andrew Fleury. The veteran goaltender played 36 games in Vegas last season, giving up less than two goals per game. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, that Fleury has not shown himself yet, and they need him to in a hurry.
The Pick
This game is pretty much a pick’em Tuesday night. Both teams are struggling to score goals, while their goalies are giving up goals by the bunches. This will be the home opener for Chicago, which may be the energy this squad needs to get themselves going.
When making your NHL picks, head to Online Betting Sports to find the best odds for the Chicago Blackhawks moneyline.