Welcome back to another edition NHL Predictions. Each day our writers here at Last Word on Hockey take a look at the games and give analysis. Our team break down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then make predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, the New York Islanders will play against the Anaheim Ducks in the middle of their East Coast road trip. Don’t forget to check out all the action, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2024-25 season.
NHL Predictions
New York Islanders vs Anaheim Ducks
Time: 7:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: MSGSN, Victory+
This will be an out-of-conference matchup between two teams from opposite sides of the country. This will be the first of only two meetings between them. The Islanders won both of the meetings against the Ducks last season. This first game will be on Long Island inside the UBS Arena. Later in the season, the Islanders will visit Anaheim on a West Coast trip. Through eight games this season the Islanders hold a 3-3-2 record and are in the middle of the Metropolitan Division. The Ducks are 3-4-1 and sit second to last in the Pacific Division.
The Islanders Story
This game will be the first of a back-to-back for the Islanders. Their most recent game was a 6-3 defeat to the Florida Panthers. The Islanders, who led 3-0 in the first period of that one, proceeded to give up six (one empty net) unanswered goals to lose the game. One bright spot in this game was the fact the Islanders scored three goals, something that hasn’t happened often this season. That came one night after they scored four in their overtime win against the New Jersey Devils. Despite this, the Islanders still rank 28th in the league in goals for with 2.50 per game. Raising their power play percentage from 28th in the league (11.5%), would go a long way in a turnaround. One key to their problems would be getting more from their top guys, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal only have one point each in their last three games. Kyle Palmieri leads the team with seven in eight games.
One thing that has been positive for the Islanders this season, has been their defence and goaltending. However, in these most recent games that has not been the case. Having to play a great offensive team in the Devils, then play again the next night on a back-to-back certainly doesn’t help but this unit has to be better. They have allowed nine goals (one empty net) in the last two games. Getting back shutdown defenceman Alexander Romanov would help. He missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury after taking a big hit in Friday’s game. He was not on the ice for Monday’s practice and is questionable. Dennis Cholowski skated in his place in the game he missed and even scored a goal. Even after the rough games the Islanders still rank eighth in goals against with 3.oo per game. The goaltending has been good for one of their goalies. While Semyon Varlamov has struggled, Ilya Sorokin has been great. Sorokin who has a .936 save percentage and a 1.74 goals-against average is the confirmed starter for this game.
The Ducks Story
The Ducks come into this one off to rough start on their road trip, losers of back-to-back games. It is rare you’d fine a team worse offensively than the Islanders, but the Ducks would qualify. They sit 31st in the league in goals for with 2.25 per game. Troy Terry and Leo Carlsson have led the way for them, Terry with seven points, Carlsson with five in the eight games, respectively. Outside of those it has been bleak, only three skaters have three goals or more. They haven’t got much from their young talent either Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish, Zegras with two points, McTavish with three in eight games. A power play ranked 31st in the league at 7.7% won’t help the lack of goalscoring either.
Their defensive numbers are not bad on paper, but when you look closer, they get worse. They rank eighth in goals against with 3.00 per game, which isn’t bad at all, it is the same as the Islanders. However, they rank fourth worst in shots against with 33.88 per game. They are third worst in expected goals against per 60 with 3.25 per game. While also being tenth in high danger shots against with 22. The reason they aren’t worse off in the goals against, is because of their goalie. Young goalie Lukáš Dostál has been a rock in net for them. He is 3-2-1 with a .936 SV% and a 2.17 GAA on 203 shots with 7.8 goals saved above average.
NHL Predictions
Given the offensive struggles for both sides and the two great goalies for each side, this should be a low scoring game. The Islanders are a much better defensive team than we have seen in these last two games. Against a struggling Ducks team, we expect them to bounce back in this game. The Islander offence will be able to do just enough against for their defence and goalie to help them to a victory.
Prediction: Islanders win 3-2
Prop Bets
Fanduel has the Ducks at +1.5, you can get that at -134, we expect this to be a close one score game and the Ducks will cover that spread. As far as anytime goal scorers, for the Islanders go with Bo Horvat, who is at +145, he has been struggling and needs to step it up. For the Ducks Ryan Strome, former Islander first-round pick, is a juicy +430 to score, expect him to get some revenge and pot one in this game.
Main Photo Credit: Eric Hartline – USA TODAY Sports
