NHL: New York Islanders vs Washington Capitals Predictions, Odds and Best Bets: December 20, 2023

We got a division rivalry on our hands tonight in the Metro Division. The New York Islanders (15-8-8) will visit the Washington Capitals (15-9-4) at the Capital One Arena. These 2 teams faced off once this year, resulting in a 4-1 win by the Capitals.

The Islanders, who are 3rd in the division, are playing the 2nd game of a back-to-back. They have started to turn things around after a rough patch. Coming off a 3-1 win vs the Oilers last night, they'll look to continue the momentum into Washington.

New York is 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and are 6-5-2 on the road so far this season. They have been struggling on defense due to injuries and have had trouble finishing games. The Isles have improved lately but need back defensemen Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelch.

Noah Dobson has really stepped up on defense, but also on offense. The kid has become a star. He leads the team with 27 assists and has a plus minus rating of +17, which is insane. He is tied for 4th best in the league. The next closest teammates' plus minus is +8. Dobbie really makes things happen.

On offense, Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat have really been jiving. They each have 10+ goals and 18+ assists so far this season. Brock Nelson is right behind them, leading the team with 15 goals to go along with 12 assists.

Goalie Semyon Varlamov will be between the pipes for the Islanders. He has a 6-4-1 record with a 2.73 GAA and a .919 save percentage. Overall, Varly has been a solid back up. He has proven over the year that he can play and has allowed Sorokin to develop. He even has 2 shutouts.

So, Washington is currently 5th in the division and just won their last game. They're 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and are 8-4-2 at home this year. They play their division rivals well, with a record of 7-2-1.

The Capitals offense is, as these kids now a days would say "mid". They rank in the bottom of the league in goals forced and shots on goals. Also ranking in the bottom of the league in Power Play and Shooting Percentage.

Defense has been Washington's stronger area this season. They rank 10th in goals allowed per game with a 2.79 average and 18th in shots on goal allowed with 30.9. Penalty killing is another strong part of their defense, killing 81.5% of their penalties.

In regard to players, Alex Ovechkin is having a rough year. He only has 5 goals this season on his quest for the all-time record. TJ Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom are both on the IR which is big. Guys like Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson have stepped up on offense.

Darcy Kuemper is expected to get the start. He's 7-6-2 on the year with a 2.97 GAA and a .897 save percentage. He is currently 4-1-1 in his last 6 starts vs the Islanders. He'll look to continue this play tonight. Now, let's get into the odds and some plays.

Betting Odds

Puck Line

• New York Islanders +1.5 (-250)
• Washington Capitals -1.5 (+185)

Moneyline

• New York Islanders +105
• Washington Capitals -125

Totals

• Over 5.5 (-120)
• Under 5.5 (+100)

Odds courtesy of MyBookie

Game Information

• Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC,
• Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2023
• Puck Drop: 7:30pm EST
• TV: TNT, MNMT

New York Islanders and Washington Capitals Prediction and Picks

Prediction and Pick: Game Total Under 5.5 Goals (+110)

I think we see what most would consider to be "Islanders" hockey tonight. AKA a boring game. Varlamov gave up 4 goals in the first game of the year and the Islanders faced a backup goalie and could only manage 1 goal.

Tonight, the Isles will face Kuemper who has their number over the past 5 games. He is 3-1-1 over his last 5 starts vs the Islanders with a 1.96 GAA and .928 save percentage. New York struggled in the first game when they didn't have to face him, so tonight should be interesting.

For plus chicky – give me the game total under 5.5. I think we see an adjusted Varly from their first matchup and a Kuemper who is ready for the Isles. It is a low total due to the sub 3 GAA's of these goaltenders and they both average under 3 goals per game (Islanders average 3).

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