Islanders vs Flyers Game 2 Odds & Pick – Aug. 26
- The Islanders stymied the Flyers in Game 1, winning 4-0
- Four different Islanders scored in the win and Semyon Varlamov made 29 saves
- Game 3 goes Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 3:00 pm ET in Toronto; see the odds and best bets
The New York Islanders made a big a statement on Monday night, taking Game 1 from the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers.
New York controlled the play for most of the first period, and were rewarded with Andy Greene’s fourth career playoff goal. While things got away from them a bit in the second, they would score three times in the third to keep Philly at bay.
Now the Flyers have some questions to answer offensively, as once again their top scorers were held silent.
Islanders vs Flyers Game 2 Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Puckline | Total at DraftKings |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Islanders | +100 | +1.5 (-286) | Over 5 (-107) |
| Philadelphia Flyers | -115 | -1.5 (+235) | Under 5 (-114) |
Odds as of Aug. 24th.
In my Game 1 preview, I went with a big value play, running with the Under and the Islanders outright. Both paid off.
Now the Islanders vs Flyers odds are starting to shift towards the Isles, but they’re still slight underdogs. In terms of the series, things have shifted drastically in favor of New York.
Flyers Top Performers Silent vs Islanders
Ahead of Game 1, I noted the lack of offense Philly had been getting from its top scorers. Things didn’t get better against the Islanders on Monday.
PHI 5v5 Offense vs NYI
| Player | Shots | +/- | Rebounds Created | Takeaways | Giveaways | High-Danger Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Konecny | 4 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Sean Couturier | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakub Voracek | 1 | -2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Claude Giroux | -2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kevin Hayes | 3 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Things got interesting in the second when Alain Vigneault threw Couturier, Voracek, and Giroux together on the same line.
While they generated good results early in their union, they ended up with a 45.0 CorsiF% and a 33.3 FenwickF%. They generated four shots but gave up seven, including a goal-against.
5v5 Goals by Flyers in recent Playoffs history
Giroux: 1G in last 22 Games
Voracek: 2G in last 22 Games
Konecny: 1G in last 15 Games
Provorov: 1G in last 15 Games
Hayes: 3G in last 30 Games— HockeyIceStorm.com (@HockeyIceStorm) August 25, 2020
Kevin Hayes was by far the best of the five, generating six individual chances.
Despite Analytics, Isles Frustrated Flyers
Sometimes digging deeper can shed more light on why a team won or lost. Sometimes it doesn’t.
For the Islanders, Game 1 was a bit of a mixed bag.
NYI vs PHI: Game 1 Analytics
| 43.22 | Corsi For % | 56.78 |
| 47.67 | Fenwick For % | 52.33 |
| 32 | Scoring Chances For | 29 |
| 11 | High-Danger Chances For | 9 |
| 22 | Blocks | 10 |
| 11 | Giveaways | 15 |
Admittedly, I haven’t watched a ton of Islanders games this year. But through three periods, one thing becomes apparent: they know what to do with the puck.
Shayne Gostisbehere has attempted 8 shots tonight. Only 1 has reached Varlamov. Six were blocked (he broke his stick on one) and one missed the net.
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) August 25, 2020
At first glance, it’s surprising that a team that trailed in both Corsi and Fenwick out-chanced their opposition. But the Islanders are quick on loose pucks in both ends, and once they get control of it in the defensive zone, they clear it. They don’t force anything or needlessly carry it.
They’re content to get it out and regroup.
@NHLFlyers seemed surprised at how the Islanders came out. Adjusted in the 2nd, but couldn't pop one home & then had a few breakdowns in the 3rd that made it 3-zip quickly. The empty netter, just a gamble by AV that didn't pay off 1/2
— Pete Thompson (@thePT973) August 25, 2020
That’s important because the Flyers had the sixth-highest winning percentage when leading after one period, and fifth-highest when leading after two. If the Islanders continue to score first and control the puck, they’ll keep frustrating Philly.
Can’t Blame Carter Hart for Game 1
While it finished fairly one-sided, Carter Hart did all he could to keep the Flyers in it against the Isles.
Greene’s point shot through a screen eluded him in the first, but Philly’s coverage broke down on the next two goals.
One positive from tonight… Carter Hart is still good at hockey. https://t.co/ZgmUu003op
— Mat Barrett (@matbarrett6) August 25, 2020
In all, the Flyers’ defense turned it over eight times, with four of those coming from Shayne Gostisbehere. They also absorbed 20 hits from the Islanders forecheck, while Philly only dished out four on New York defenders.
Islanders Hope to Replicate Gameplan
New York did everything I thought they would in Game 1, and while it was tough to watch at times, it worked. So the Islanders can just keep playing the same notes.
I am expecting a higher-scoring Game 2, not a barnburner but enough to hit the over. In terms of result? The Isles run it back to perfection, frustrating the Flyers once again.
The Pick: Islanders (+100), OVER 5.0 (-107)
Bryan has spent the last decade working in the sports industry. From the sidelines in the OHL and Rugby League to behind the scenes at TSN, Bryan has a wealth of experience with a soft spot for props and parlays.
