NHL Lightning vs Islanders Picks and Odds | April 1, 2025

Written by: Nick Zanghi

Published: Tue Apr 01, 2025, 1:10 am ET

Read Time: 5 minutes

Kyle Palmieri, Nikita Kucherov and Bo Horvat.

nhl

FINAL

Tampa Bay Lightning

New York Islanders

See Picks & Statistics For The Game

Big games coming up as the season winds down and we have one for you tonight. The Tampa Bay Lightning will head to Long Island to take on the New York Islanders. These 2 just played a few days ago and the Lightning won 5-3.

Tampa is 43-25-5 this season and 2nd in the Atlantic Division. They come into this game off a win over the Isles on Saturday which was their 3rd win in a row. The Lightning are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and 16-17-3 on the road this year.

This team is stacked on offense, even after losing Steven Stamkos. Signing Jake Guentzel ended up with Tampa as the winners of these transactions. They rank 2nd in goals scored and 11th in shots on goal while maintaining the 2nd best shooting percentage in the league.

On defense, they played just a good to make for a complete game. They rank 6th in goals allowed and 14th in shots on goal allowed per game. Their special teams are top notch, ranking 6th best on the power play and 5th best on the penalty kill.

Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to get the start. He is 35-19-3 this season with a 2.18 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Vasi had a good game vs the Islanders last game and tends to play well against them in general.

Islanders need to get a win before their playoff hopes die

New York Islanders forward Anders Lee celebrates his goal with his teammates.

The Islanders are 32-31-10 this season and 6th in the Metro Division. They come into this game on a 5-game losing streak after a loss to the Hurricanes on Sunday. New York is 3-4-3 in their last 10 games and are 17-14-5 at home this year.

This team has never been able to put together a full game. They either have a great night on offense and just get by defensively or the other way around. New York's offense is inconsistent, ranking 25th in goals scored and 31st in power play. They do rank 6th for shots on goal per game, but 3rd worst in the league for shooting percentage.

Defense has been a struggle this season as well. They rank 19th in goals allowed and 21st in shots on goal per game. Like their power play, the Isles are terrible on the penalty kill, ranking 3rd worst. New York plays smarter hockey to stay out of the penalty box, only committing under 3 penalties per game.

In net, we're expected to see Ilya Sorokin. He is 27-22-6 this season with a 2.79 GAA and a .904 save percentage. Sorokin will look to have a better outing than the other day. Let's check out the odds and get into the picks.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders Betting Odds and Game Information

Lightning vs Islanders Betting Odds

Puck Line

Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 (+145)
New York Islanders +1.5 (-175)

Moneyline

Tampa Bay Lightning -170
New York Islanders +145

Totals

Over 6.5 (+110)
Under 6.5 (-130)

Odds courtesy of BetOnline – Get 50% up to $1000 on your first deposit

Lightning vs Islanders Game Information

Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Date: Tuesday April 1, 2025
Puck Drop: 7:30pm EST
TV: ESPN+

Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders Prediction and Picks

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov skates to the circle before a faceoff.

Lightning vs Islanders Picks and Predictions: Tampa Bay Lightning Puck Line -1.5 (+145) Get 50% up to $1000 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick

The Lightning really put the Islanders to work the other day. New York plays a little better at home, but these 2 teams know each other at this rate. I think we see a closer game because of the 2 quality goaltenders, but I think Tampa pulls away with this one.

New York needs this game badly if they want to stay in the playoff hunt. This losing streak has come at the wrong time as they could be sitting in a Wild Card spot right now. The history between these 2 is what makes me lean with Tampa as well because they seem to win the games that matter.

Give me Vasi over his save total. He didn't play last game vs the Islanders but has a great history vs them. The Isles have also been firing the puck, even though they don't find the back of the net much. Vasi should see well over 30 shots to cover his line. New York had 38 shots last game.

I also like the man in the picture to show out again. Kucherov for 2 or more points should be around -110. He just had 4 points just the other day and has always had great numbers vs the Isles. I also like him to record 4 or more shots on goal that should be priced around -125. Kuch is coming off a 6 shots game vs the Isles.