Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: NY ISLANDERS on the money line.
Play Against - Home teams against the money line (COLUMBUS) - horrible team - outscored by their opponents by 0.65+ goals/game, after playing 2 straight games where 8 or more total goals were scored
(50-11 over the last 5 seasons.) (82.0%, +35.9 units. Rating=4*)
The situation's record this season is: (14-5 +6.7 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: COLUMBUS on the money line.
Play On - Home underdogs against the money line (COLUMBUS) - good power play team - scoring on more than 17.5% of their chances, hot offensive team - 3 straight games with 33 or more shots on goal
(72-43 since 1997.) (62.6%, +45.3 units. Rating=3*)
The situation's record this season is: (6-7 +0.3 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: COLUMBUS on the money line.
Play On - Home underdogs of +100 to +200 against the money line (COLUMBUS) - good power play team - scoring on more than 17.5% of their chances, hot offensive team - 3 straight games with 33 or more shots on goal
(71-42 since 1997.) (62.8%, +44.1 units. Rating=3*)
The situation's record this season is: (6-7 +0.3 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: COLUMBUS on the money line.
Play On - Home underdogs against the money line (COLUMBUS) - hot offensive team - 3 straight games with 33 or more shots on goal
(128-93 since 1997.) (57.9%, +69.6 units. Rating=3*)
The situation's record this season is: (8-8 +1.5 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: Over on the total.
Play Over - Any team against the total (COLUMBUS) - slow starting team-outscored by opp by 0.2+ goals/game in first period - 2nd half of the season, after playing 3 straight games where 7 or more total goals were scored
(93-45 over the last 5 seasons.) (67.4%, +44.6 units. Rating=3*)
The situation's record this season is: (21-10 +10.4 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: Under on the total.
Play Under - Home teams against the total (COLUMBUS) - poor team - outscored by their opponents by 0.3+ goals/game - 2nd half of the season, after scoring 6 goals or more in their previous game
(91-50 since 1997.) (64.5%, +38.8 units. Rating=2*)
The situation's record this season is: (4-1 +3 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (57) NEW JERSEY vs. (58) BUFFALO
Favoring: Under on the total.
Play Under - Any team against the total (BUFFALO) - revenging a loss vs opponent as a home favorite, a marginal losing team (40% to 49%) playing a winning team
(107-58 since 1997.) (64.8%, +43 units. Rating=2*)
The situation's record this season is: (26-19 +4.6 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: Over on the total.
Play Over - Any team against the total (COLUMBUS) - after 3 or more consecutive overs, slow starting team-outscored by opp by 0.2+ goals/game in first period - 2nd half of the season
(103-57 over the last 5 seasons.) (64.4%, +41.8 units. Rating=2*)
The situation's record this season is: (21-12 +8.3 units).

Friday, 03/24/2023 (57) NEW JERSEY vs. (58) BUFFALO
Favoring: BUFFALO on the money line.
BUFFALO is 11-3 (+12 Units) against the money line revenging a home loss versus opponent of 2 goals or more this season.
The average score was BUFFALO 3.9, OPPONENT 2.6 - (Rating = 3*)

Friday, 03/24/2023 (57) NEW JERSEY vs. (58) BUFFALO
Favoring: BUFFALO on the money line.
BUFFALO is 16-6 (+15.2 Units) against the money line revenging a loss vs opponent as a home favorite this season.
The average score was BUFFALO 4.1, OPPONENT 3 - (Rating = 3*)

Friday, 03/24/2023 (57) NEW JERSEY vs. (58) BUFFALO
Favoring: NEW JERSEY on the money line.
BUFFALO is 1-12 (-10.8 Units) against the money line in home games versus very good teams - outscoring their opponents by 0.5+ goals/game this season.
The average score was BUFFALO 2.5, OPPONENT 5 - (Rating = 3*)

Friday, 03/24/2023 (57) NEW JERSEY vs. (58) BUFFALO
Favoring: BUFFALO on the money line.
BUFFALO is 16-6 (+15.2 Units) against the money line revenging a home loss versus opponent this season.
The average score was BUFFALO 4.1, OPPONENT 3 - (Rating = 3*)

Friday, 03/24/2023 (59) ARIZONA vs. (60) COLORADO
Favoring: Under on the total.
COLORADO is 13-1 UNDER (+11.9 Units) off a home loss this season.
The average score was COLORADO 2.9, OPPONENT 2.4 - (Rating = 5*)

Friday, 03/24/2023 (57) NEW JERSEY vs. (58) BUFFALO
Favoring: Over on the total.
BUFFALO is 19-5 OVER (+13.1 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
The average score was BUFFALO 3.5, OPPONENT 4.3 - (Rating = 4*)

Friday, 03/24/2023 (55) NY ISLANDERS vs. (56) COLUMBUS
Favoring: Over on the total.
NY ISLANDERS are 10-1 OVER (+9.3 Units) in road games when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days this season.
The average score was NY ISLANDERS 3.9, OPPONENT 3.8 - (Rating = 4*)

Friday, 03/24/2023 (57) NEW JERSEY vs. (58) BUFFALO
Favoring: Under on the total.
NEW JERSEY is 9-1 UNDER (+8.1 Units) after a close loss by 1 goal in their previous game this season.
The average score was NEW JERSEY 2.5, OPPONENT 2.7 - (Rating = 3*)

Underdogs went 7-5 with upsets by the Flyers (+130 at Wild), Rangers (+125 at Hurricanes), Maple Leafs (+120 at Panthers), Golden Knights (+120 at Flames), Predators (+115 vs. Kraken), Senators (+110 vs. Lightning) and Blues (+108 at Red Wings). Home teams went 7-5. Over/Unders split 6-6.

The Islanders head to Nationwide Arena for a crucial showdown with the Blue Jackets on Friday. Claiming two points would improve its playoff chances to 89%, while a loss would drop its chances to 75%, according to MoneyPuck.

New York is priced at -230 to win this game, making it as big a favorite as it’s been in any matchup this season.

New York has gone on a 9-3-1 tear toward the postseason and is now in all likelihood going to secure a playoff berth despite a midseason hiccup.

That proves a ton of doubters, such as myself, entirely wrong and is surely satisfying for Isles faithful.

Many felt the loss of Mathew Barzal could be somewhat of a death blow to an offense that had the potential to be extremely stale. Over the last 13 games, however, New York has managed to put up 3.38 goals per game and has played to a very strong 53.4% xGF rating throughout that span.

Brock Nelson left Tuesday’s big win over Toronto after an awkward collision along the wall but is expected to be in the lineup for tonight’s matchup.

Ilya Sorokin is projected as the Islanders’ likely starter but will definitely sit in one of the Isles’ back-to-back matchups this weekend.

Columbus’ current roster is lacking any kind of meaningful two-way forward and is regularly giving big minutes to a number of defenders who are getting caved in badly at even strength.

The team’s shaky defensive play is in no way helping to cover up for what has become one of the league’s worst goaltending duos. Over the last month of action, the Blue Jackets have allowed 4.91 goals per game.

Its 3.93 xGA/60 is second-worst in the league over that sample, but it does suggest some improvement may be on the horizon.

However, opponents are always likely to outscore expectations considering Columbus’ net minders. That point should hold especially true on nights like tonight when 33-year-old journeyman Michael Hutchinson takes the crease.

Hutchinson has played to an .875 save percentage and -2.7 GSAx in six NHL appearances this season. He also owns an .897 save percentage in the AHL in 2022-23.

Patrik Laine was injured in Columbus’ win over Washington on Tuesday and is out for tonight’s contest.

Mercifully, the Arizona Coyotes season comes to an end in a few short weeks, but not before a Friday night matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.

Analytically, the Yotes have been one of the worst teams in the league this year. A downward spiral has compounded those issues over the past few weeks. Somehow, though, Arizona has strung together some favorable outcomes, despite their ineffective play. That leaves them on a collision course with regression as actual metrics balance with expected.

The Coyotes are an impressive 4-2-1 over their last seven games, getting past some playoff-caliber squads. Still, they’ve been outplayed in five of those contests, with a cumulative 44.5% expected goals-for rating. The Desert Dogs are getting outplayed on both ends of the ice, and scheduling could compound their troubling analytics.

Across that seven-game stretch, Arizona has out-chanced its opponents in high-danger chances just twice. Worse, they’ve failed to surpass nine quality opportunities in all but one of those contests, averaging 7.7 per game. Their atrocious offensive play is matched by sloppy defensive zone coverage. The Coyotes’ opponents have attempted at least ten such chances in four of seven, including three of their last four.

Sadly, those metrics are trending in the wrong direction, as each of Arizona’s last two opponents has put up 12 quality opportunities. Both outings came on a back-to-back, with only one day rest before the Coyotes take on the Avs.

That leaves them in a flat spot as they compete with some of the top teams in the Western Conference, playing three games in four nights, with travel for every matchup. If we thought they looked out of sorts against the Edmonton Oilers, they could look even more lost on Friday.

We’ve seen a less consistent version of the Avalanche this season, but they continue to build momentum toward the end of the season. Colorado is 6-1-0 over its last seven games, recording at least five goals in four of those contests. Considering the state of the Coyotes’ defense, and their surging offensive metrics, we’re anticipating an outburst at the Ball Arena.

The Avs are north of 12 high-danger chances in each of their past two games, making it three times over their previous six outings they met that threshold. More impressively, the Avalanche have out-chanced their opponents in all but one of those games, posting a 59.6% high-danger chance rating. Similarly, they’ve eclipsed 30 scoring opportunities in half of those games, with a 57.9% benchmark. That efficient play will make it hard for the struggling Coyotes to keep pace.

Scheduling-wise, the Avs are in a much better position than their counterparts. Colorado has spent the week at home, enjoying the luxuries and comfort of home ice. Additionally, they should be fresh for this Central Division matchup, as three of their last four games came against non-playoff teams. That should help the Avalanche maintain their elite play as they welcome another lower-tier squad to their hostile environment.

This is the first night of a home-and-home series between these franchises and the second time these teams have met since March 11. The Avalanche escaped with an overtime victory last time out