Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL match.
Even a victory in their last game couldn’t lift the Detroit Red Wings off the bottom spot in the Atlantic Division, much to the dismay of hopeful fans. It's not too late to turn things around, but gaining points against the New York Islanders will be a tough task.
New York Islanders
Under Patrick Roy's, the team have alternated between wins and losses in their last four outings. The Islanders have finally returned home, playing four games at UBS Arena over a 10-day period, with only a brief trip to neighbouring New Jersey. Their first visitor, the Montreal Canadiens, managed to avoid a regulation defeat but still succumbed in the shootout. With 36 shots on goal, the Islanders displayed a strong offensive showing, while Semyon Varlamov saved 23 of 24 shots and 7 of 9 shootout attempts to secure the win.
Detroit Red Wings
The match against the Nashville Predators was a positive one compared to previous games, with five goals from 24 shots, converting one out of three power plays, and Alex Lyon stopping 37 of 39 shots (0.949). This all happened on the road. The Predators were noticeably more manageable than the Rangers, who gave them no real opportunity. The New Yorkers allowed only one power play goal out of nine attempts in two games and forced Cam Talbot to be replaced midway through, having stopped just 14 of 19 shots. The Islanders stand somewhere in the middle of these teams in the ranking.
New York Islanders vs Detroit Red Wings Prediction
For the Red Wings to overcome the hosts, several things need to go their way. Alex Lyon should be in goal, their power play units must perform as they did against the Nashville Predators, and they must effectively shut down the Islanders' top two lines. Even then, it might not suffice: in their last five meetings in New York, the Islanders haven’t lost in regulation and have won four by a margin of two or more goals. That's the outcome we’re backing.
