New York Islanders - New York Rangers predictions and free betting tips [09/04/2024]

The New York Islanders and New York Rangers lock horns on the 10th of April as part of the NHL's regular season.

New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are hot on the playoffs trail, occupying the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference with 85 points (35-27-15). This, after clinching their fourth successive win, vanquishing the Nashville Predators with a scoreline of 2-0, courtesy of Dobson and Palmieri's goals assisted by Romanov. The Russian has notched up 7 goals and 14 assists in 76 games. With just a point ahead of Detroit, 2 points separating them from Pittsburgh, Washington, and Philadelphia, the situation in the East couldn't be more riveting. The Isles have surged ahead due to a four-game winning spree, with 3 regular-time victories. This successful run has pushed the Islanders into the 7th position for the wild-card race in the Eastern Conference, surpassing the Philadelphia Flyers in terms of points and narrowing the gap on the Pittsburgh Penguins after their 4:1 win against the Washington Capitals.

Victories over the Flyers and Blackhawks earlier in the week have bolstered the team's confidence. Previously, the New York Islanders defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4:2. Mathew Barzal and Alexander Romanov had notable performances, each contributing 2 assists against Columbus and proving instrumental in the Islanders' offensive prowess. Barzal emphasised the importance of these matches, likening them to playoff games every evening where the team fights for their season. He tops the Islanders' player list with 80 points for the season, which includes 23 goals and 57 assists. Noah Dobson with 68 points and Brock Nelson with 66 have also made significant contributions to the team's success. The Russian goalkeeping duo of Ilya Sorokin (54 matches and an average of 3 goals conceded) and Semyon Varlamov (25 matches and a 2.72 average goals conceded figure) aim to propel the Isles into the playoffs.

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers have been making an impressive stand in the NHL, boasting a 53-21-4 statistic and amassing 110 points. The team has achieved spectacular results, winning 8 out of their last 10 matches, the latest being a 5:2 victory against Montreal. Rangers' leader Zibanejad has delivered a double and assist. These successful outcomes in games against Detroit and New Jersey have provided the Rangers with a 3-point lead over Boston and a 5-point edge over Carolina, consolidating their standing in the Metropolitan Division and in the Eastern Conference as a whole. The team has scored 272 goals, placing them 5th in the league for this statistic and conceded 219, giving them a 7th place standing in terms of defensive league-wide results.

Artemi Panarin leads the team with 47 goals, Adam Fox delivered 54 assists and scored 12 goals, and Chris Kreider attempted 232 shots at the goal with 38 goals and 32 assists. Vincent Trocheck earned 75 points, and Mika Zibanejad stands out with 68 points from 42 assists. Their goal-tending spot is reinforced by the Russian Igor Shesterkin — 34 wins, a goals-against-average of 2.62, and a save percentage of 91.11%. The Rangers demonstrate proficiency during power-plays, capitalising on 25.8% of their opportunities. Their striking performance is evident from their high scoring of 24 goals in the last 5 games. The Rangers have maintained a steady performance in recent games, securing win after win, only further asserting their status as one of the league's powerhouses and main contenders for the Stanley Cup.

Head-to-Head

Of their last 5 encounters, the New York Rangers bagged 4 victories. The "Broadway Blueshirts" triumphed over the Islanders with a score of 5:2 on the 17th of March, 2024. Subsequently, the Rangers clinched a 6:5 victory in overtime on the 18th of February, 2024. On the 1st of October, 2023, the Islanders defeated the Rangers 5:3, and on the 27th of September, 2023, the Rangers were victorious with a 4:2 scoreline. On the 23rd of December, 2022, the Rangers won again with a score of 5:3.

Match prediction: New York Islanders - New York Rangers

Both teams have been displaying bright hockey performances, and with 4 victories in their last 5 matches, the Islanders are still locked in a desperate fight for the playoffs. However, the Rangers' attack, led by Panarin who's having the best season of his career, is formidable. My prediction is for the game to have a total of over 5.5 goals.