Islanders vs. Red Wings prediction, odds: NHL picks, best bets

The Islanders will wrap up their five-game road trip with a matchup at Little Caesars Arena versus the Red Wings. They have earned four points through the first four games and suffered their fifth overtime loss of the season Tuesday in Calgary. The Red Wings wrapped up a four-game road trip of their own last time out in San Jose and should be desperate to respond after dropping three of four, including soft matchups in Anaheim and San Jose. General manager Steve Yzerman’s reputation of being one of the league’s sharper minds has taken a significant hit over the last two seasons, as several of his veteran signings have not worked out and have hampered a rebuild that was once expected to be a smashing success. Their blue-line has been a clear-flaw. Young stars Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider have both been excellent, but aging veterans such as Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry and Justin Holl have struggled leading to plenty of offensive zone time for the opposition. The Red Wings have allowed 32.69 shots against per 60 this season, as well as 3.44 xGA/60. They do feature some clinical finishing talents to help keep games close despite not owning much of the overall play, and hold the league’s second-best power play, which has clicked 32% of the time. Coach Patrick Roy’s highly depleted Islanders side has displayed a well-organized, spirited brand of hockey of late. In November the Islanders hold a record of 4-2-3 and a goal differential of zero. With Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair sidelined, the Islanders’ offensive upside is fairly limited. They rank 27th in the league in scoring an average of 2.53 goals per game, but have been strong defensively in allowing only 2.95 goals per game. After resting Tuesday versus the Flames, Ilya Sorokin is expected to get the start in goal. He has played to a .913 save % and 2.70 GAA this season. Dating back to the start of last season, 33.6% (34-of-101) of Islanders games have required overtime, and there are some legitimate arguments as to they continue to go past regulation so often. The Islanders have struggled to generate enough offense to fully put games out of reach, but tend to be in every matchup because of their strong defensive play and elite goaltending. They continue to play a fairly passive style when protecting leads late in the game, which has led to plenty of blown leads. • Check out the best NHL betting sites • Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NHL This sets up as a good matchup to target that unique trend at +350 odds. A large sample of Islanders games suggests that is already an excellent number, and this looks like another matchup that is likely to feature close score-lines. It’s priced quite evenly and I agree that it is likely to be a tightly contested affair. At +350 odds, I see value in backing this game to require overtime (3-way tie). Nicholas Martin handicaps the NHL, MLB and NFL for the New York Post. He strives to include relevant game notes in articles to help bettors come to their own conclusions, but is also up 180 units himself on verified picks in a sports betting app. You can find Nick on X @nickm_hockey.