Vegas Golden Knights - New York Islanders predictions and free betting tips [07/01/2024]

The Vegas Golden Knights are set to host the New York Islanders in their upcoming NHL match tomorrow morning.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights, who kick-started the season with an impressive 11-0-1 run, have faced serious issues in recent matches. After a dominating streak, the team is experiencing a slump, having lost 7 of their last 9 games and now find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division. A 1:4 defeat against Florida Panthers in a Stanley Cup 2023 rematch, along with a loss against Seattle in the NHL's Winter Classic underscore the team's current issues.

Vegas's results have depreciated to 11-12-4 post their incredible run. In their latest match against the Panthers, the Knights couldn't capitalise on their majority plays, particularly in critical game moments, which resulted in the loss. However, leading players, including Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and William Karlsson, who have scored 43 goals and made 66 assists, still deserve attention, as do forwards Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev and Chandler Stephenson, all of whom show decent results.

Logan Thompson, Vegas's main goaltender, has stats of 11-8-3 and a save percentage of .902, illustrating his significant role within the team. Head Coach Bruce Cassidy announced William Karlsson's injury and the probable return of Keegan Kolesar, which could affect team composition for the upcoming matches.

New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are in the third position within the Metropolitan Division with 46 points. They secured a confident 5:1 victory against the Arizona Coyotes last time out, levelling up their four-game road tour record to 1:1. In this fixture, Bo Horvat scored two goals and made a pass, while Anders Lee and Julien Gauthier netted two swift goals within 53 seconds, gifting the Islanders three goals in the third period.

In recent matches, the Islanders display average performance, scoring an average of 3.1 goals per game and conceding 3.25. The team needs to enhance their gameplay to improve their standing, especially in their attack line, which ranks 18th in the league. Matthew Barzal leads the team with 37 points, including 10 goals and 27 assists. Defender Noah Dobson has also made a significant contribution, scoring 6 goals and delivering 32 assists.

Ilya Sorokin took over the goalkeeping duties from Varlamov and blocked 23 out of 27 shots in one match and 26 out of 27 in another. He is likely to be in the starting lineup for the next game. The Islanders have a record of 6 wins and 4 losses in the last 10 matches and a stat of 1-2 in the initial three matches of their four-match road tour.

Head-to-Head

The history of recent encounters suggests that Isles picked up 3 out of the last 4 matches. In their last game in January 2023, the Islanders defeated Vegas in overtime with a score of 2:1. Earlier, in December 2022, Vegas suffered a 2:5 defeat. Back in October 2021, the match ended in a shootout victory for the Islanders with a score of 4:3, and in an earlier encounter in the same month, the Islanders won 2:0.

Prediction for the match: Vegas Golden Knights - New York Islanders

In the prospective encounter, the Islanders might display a strong performance, especially considering their recent head-to-head track records. The New York Islanders have shown consistent form, and their latest games reflect their ability to match or out-perform their rivals.

On the flip side, the Vegas Golden Knights are enduring a dip after a remarkable season start and a Stanley Cup triumph. The team's recent form points to a loss in consistency; with Vegas losing 7 out of their last 9 games and struggling with their attack, I am betting on the visitors' spread (+1).