On Saturday night, the New York Islanders will play the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The two-game regular-season series between the two rivals from different conferences gets underway, and Las Vegas is clearly the home favorite.
In their two-game series from the previous year, New York and Las Vegas were tied, with each club winning on the road. While Las Vegas responded with a 4-3 shootout victory, New York blanked Vegas 2-0.
Islanders vs Knights Betting Odds
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Islanders vs Knights Match Details
Fixture: New York Islanders at Las Vegas Golden Knights
Date and Time: Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 PM ET
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Islanders vs Knights Key Stats
On the second night of a back-to-back set, New York and Las Vegas will collide. When New York visited the Arizona Coyotes in an effort to end a two-game losing streak, they played their first game of the back-to-back. Last Tuesday, New York lost to the Boston Bruins 4-3 in a shootout to begin a five-game road trip.
At the TD Garden in Boston, New York overturned a two-goal first-period deficit. Matthew Barzal gave them the advantage in the shootout, but Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey both missed, and the Bruins won two of the three rounds.
Las Vegas has won three of its last four games, including its last two contests against the Chicago Blackhawks (4-1) and the Winnipeg Jets (6-5). Reilly Smith scored two goals against Chicago, while Mark Stone and Jonathan Marchessault each scored a pair of goals against the Jets.
Last Thursday's game against the Blackhawks saw Marchessault pick up two assists, bringing his season total to 26 points (14 goals and 12 assists). In their most recent match, Smith's shorthanded goal gave Las Vegas a 2-0 lead in the second period.
Islanders vs Knights Betting Prediction
In terms of 5-on-5 high-danger scoring opportunities, Vegas is perhaps a superior offensive club than New York, which is ranked 22nd in the league.
Las Vegas, which averages the fewest penalty minutes per game, must maintain its concentration and composure. Take the home team to win the game outright, as New York will be tired after playing two days in a row.
Pick: Las Vegas -165
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