The Pittsburgh Penguins (38-31-12), 10th in the Eastern Conference, face off the New York Islanders (38-27-16), who stand seventh, for a conference showdown on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET at UBS Arena, Elmont. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, TVAS, MSGSN and SN-PIT.
The Penguins secured a 4-2 victory at home against the Nashville Predators on Monday, while the Islanders are coming off a 4-1 road win against the New Jersey Devils on the same day.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders: Game preview
The Penguins maintain an average of 3.07 goals per game, capitalizing on 14.6% of their power play chances, and concede 3.00 goals per outing.
Sidney Crosby spearheads their offensive charge with 42 goals and 50 assists, alongside Evgeni Malkin's contributions of 26 goals and 39 assists. Kris Letang boasts 41 assists, while Erik Karlsson impresses with 44 assists.
Guarding the net, Alex Nedeljkovic boasts a 18-6-7 record, maintaining a 2.91 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.
Meanwhile, the Islanders maintain a scoring average of 2.96 goals per game and concede 3.14 goals per game. Their power play operates at a 19.7% success rate.
Bo Horvat leads the scoring charge with 33 goals and 35 assists for 68 points, while Brock Nelson follows closely with 33 goals and 34 assists. Mathew Barzal has contributed significantly with 23 goals and 57 assists, totaling 80 points.
In goal, Ilya Sorokin boasts a record of 24-19-12 with 2.99 goals against average and a save percentage of .909.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders: Injury report
The Pittsburgh Penguins are contending with a string of injuries that may hinder their performance.
Matt Neito is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, John Ludvig is battling an illness. Ryan Graves' availability remains uncertain, while Noel Acciari is sidelined with a lower-body injury.
Meanwhile, the Islanders face their own challenges, as Scott Mayfield is ruled out for the season due to a lower-body injury, while Noah Dobson's status is day-to-day owing to an upper-body injury.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders: Head-to-head and significant numbers
The two teams have faced off 273 times in the regular season and playoffs combined.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 132-105-22-14 against the Islanders. In faceoffs, the Islanders have a 51.4% win rate, while the Penguins have a 54.6% win rate. The Islanders boast an 72.1% success rate on penalty kills, while the Penguins are 81.3%.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders: Odds and prediction
Pittsburgh has won 23 of 46 games as the odds favorite and 17 of 34 games with odds shorter than -127. The team has a 55.9% chance of winning this game.
Meanwhile, the Islanders have been listed as underdogs in 42 games and emerged victorious 19 times. With +106 odds or longer, they have a 15-17 record, giving them a 48.5% probability of winning this contest.
Prediction: Penguins 5-3 Islanders
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders: Betting tips
Tip 1: Penguins to win
Tip 2: Total goals over 5: Yes
Tip 3: Bryan Rust to score anytime: Yes
Tip 4: Sidney Crosby to score first: Yes
Tip 5: Islanders to beat the spread: No