New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins - 4/14/22 NHL Picks and Prediction

The Pittsburgh Penguins get set to host the New York Islanders Islanders with an overall record of 42-22-11. This mark places them 3rd in the Metropolitan division. Through 75 games, the Penguins have scored 247 goals, giving them an average of 3.25. This output gives them a rank of 9th among NHL teams. On defense, Pittsburgh is the 9th-ranked unit, giving up 2.71 goals per contest. So far, the Penguins have played the 20th toughest schedule in the league. And, when taking into account Pittsburgh's scoring margin relative to the quality of their competition, they come in with a power ranking of 9th in the NHL.

Through 63 games, the New York Islanders' goal and overall scoring leader is Brock Nelson, with 52 points. He has reached his mark of 33 goals, on a shooting percentage of 22.3%. So far, 27.0% of his goals have come during power play time. Behind him is Mathew Barzal, who has 35 assists to go along with his 14 goals. However, when on the ice, the Islanders are -11 in scoring differential. New York's top goalie is Ilya Sorokin, who is giving up an average of 2.3 goals per game. In his 45 games played, he has turned in 33 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.

Through 75 games, Pittsburgh's leading goal scorer is Jake Guentzel. With his 35 goals and 39 assists, he is the second in overall points, coming in at 74. On the season, he is turning 14.5% of his shots into goals. In addition, the Penguins have benefited from the strong play of Sidney Crosby, who is the team's overall leader in points. In Pittsburgh's 75 games, he has come up with 28 goals on a shooting percentage of 15.2%. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus-minus rating of +14.0. Pittsburgh's top goalie is Tristan Jarry, who is giving up an average of 2.41 goals per game. In his 57 games played, he has turned in 34 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.

Coming into this game, the Islanders have an over-under record of 34-36-1. However, when playing on the road, the over has fared better, going 20-16. On the season, 49.0% of New York Islanders' games have gone for at least 6 goals or more, with 48.0% of the scoring coming from the Islanders. In Pittsburgh's 75 games, the over has hit in over half of their games, going 37-37-1. So far, taking the over when the Penguins are playing at home has been a good bet with an over-under record of 21-16. On the season, 56.0% of Pittsburgh's games have gone for at least 6 goals or more, with 55% of the scoring coming from the Penguins. Even with an over-under line set at just 5.5 goals, I recommend taking the under, as both New York's and Pittsburgh's offense will struggle against two quality goalies.