Detroit Red Wings - New York Islanders predictions and free betting tips [21/03/2024]

The Detroit Red Wings are set to face the New York Islanders in the next regular NHL championship match.

New York Islanders

After a series of six victories that brought them back into the playoff mix, the New York Islanders have hit a rough patch, suffering five straight losses, including a 4-to-1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes. In these 5 games, the team managed to score just 6 pucks, encountering attack difficulties that have haunted them throughout the season, especially in games where they scored a single goal or none at all. Their last game against the Hurricanes revealed the team's weaknesses, with the Islanders scoring only one goal while their defence let in four.

The goaltending brigade, in the form of Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov, shows average results, deflecting shots at 90%. In previous encounters, the Islanders have had the upper hand over the Detroit Red Wings, winning eight out of nine matches, but in recent games against Atlantic Division teams, they frequently lost by one puck. The team is striving to break the losing streak and restore their playoff chances in the upcoming games.

Detroit Red Wings

With a current record of 35-28-6 and 76 points, the Detroit Red Wings are in the thick of the playoff hunt, leading the New York Islanders by 3 points. Recently, after losing 7 matches in a row, the team has found its form, winning 2 out of the last 3 matches. Notably successful was the game against Columbus, where Detroit, being down in the score, managed to snatch a 4:3 victory thanks to goals by Lucas Raymond, including one in the final seconds, and a winning goal by Patrick Kane in overtime.

Raymond, who has set a personal record with 24 goals this season, has scored 7 pucks in the last 5 matches. The team shows average attack results, scoring 3.39 pucks per game, while their defence admits 3.36, ranking them 7th in the league in offence and 25th in conceded pucks. The team is facing instability, particularly in night matches where they have failed to win any of their last eight games. Furthermore, they've been trailing in the first periods in the last four games against Eastern Conference teams. The upcoming matches will be critically vital for their attempts to secure a playoff spot.

Head-To-Head Encounters

In the recent face-offs on March 1, 2024, the Isles clinched a 5:3 victory over Detroit. Previously, on October 31, 2023, Detroit lost to the Islanders by the same 4:3 score. The meeting on March 4, 2023, ended in the Islanders' victory with a 4:1 score, like on January 28, 2023, with a score of 2:0. Detroit's first win in the last 5 matches against New York dates back to November 5, 2022, when they won 3:0.

Match Prediction Detroit Red Wings vs. New York Islanders

For this crucial match for the Eastern Conference playoffs, I'm going for a total under (TU) 6.5 pucks, as New York has lost five straight games with only 6 goals scored.