Islanders vs Penguins Odds and Picks on March 29th

• On Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins (22-11-2) host the New York Islanders (22-9-4)
• The Penguins & Islanders have the top two team save percentages since February 1st
• Here are the odds, team previews, and the best value bet available

The Pittsburgh Penguins host the New York Islanders in an East Division clash on Monday at 7:00pm EST.

The Penguins lead the season series with a 4-2-0 record but neither team is listed as a favorite. Both have identical -108 odds which is a testament to how well both are playing coming in.

Islanders vs Penguins Odds

Odds taken March 28th

The Islanders are second in the division one spot ahead of the Penguins. With a regulation victory, Pittsburgh would pull even in playoff positioning. Here are the full odds, major trends and the best bet on the board.

Lee Injury Leaves Islanders Shorthanded

The Islanders will be without captain Anders Lee for the rest of the season. He suffered an ACL injury and underwent surgery taking him out of the lineup permanently. This left head coach Barry Trotz with a problem that he really doesn’t have an answer for. Lee played on the top line and the Islanders don’t have the depth to easily shuffle the deck.

The answer to this point has been using Leo Komarov with Matthew Barzal and Jordan Eberle. For perspective, Komarov appeared on waivers not too long ago. The team is likely to make a splash at the deadline but as it stands they’re shorthanded up front.

Hearing that the initial asking price for Taylor Hall involves a first-round pick… Probably going to be tough to get that in this buyer's market but it's the right place to start two weeks out if you're Buffalo. @TheAthletic @TSNHockey

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 26, 2021

On the flip side, they have been incredibly healthy on the back end. Five of their six defenseman have played every game this season. The cohesive play and tight checking style coached by Trotz is much of the reason the Islanders rank third in the league allowing only 2.31 goals per game.

Penguins Goaltending Has Been Pleasant Surprise

When the Penguins traded Matt Murray to the Ottawa Senators it was a clear move to hand the crease to Tristan Jarry. He’s been great in his first year as a full-time starting goalie and his back up Casey DeSmith has been steady as well.

The pair of goalies have combined for a .928 save percentage since February 1st which ranks first in the league. Next best on the list? The New York Islanders and goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin.

Final. pic.twitter.com/AMQTQMz7eb

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 28, 2021

The Penguins are coming off a 6-3 win over the Islanders and that was their first time allowing more than two goals in 11 games. While some might point to a combined seven games against the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils over that stretch, it’s more likely the stats are the real deal. During that run the Penguins also have played the much improved New York Rangers as well as the Boston Bruins twice.

Turn Your Attention To The Total

Pittsburgh has the edge in the season series and are 7-2-3 in their last twelve against New York. With all of that said, ignore the moneyline entirely. When the two best defensive teams over the past two months face off, it’s time to hammer the under. It’s not the sexiest pick, but when it comes to making a wager it’s about finding the best value and wagering on less than 5.5 goals is the correct play to make.

The Pick: Under 5.5 Goals (-115)

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