New York Islanders @ Pittsburgh Penguins - March 18, 2025

Alright, folks, it’s that time again! The New York Islanders are gearing up to face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena, and if there’s one thing we know in this city of sports passion, it’s that nothing brings out the fire quite like a matchup between these two teams. There’s bound to be some serious animosity brewing here — just how we like it!

Now let’s dive into what we can expect for this showdown on Tuesday night. Currently, oddsmakers have set the Penguins as slight favorites with a moneyline of -105, but I’m telling you right now: my gut is leaning toward the Islanders pulling off an upset here. After their recent 4-2 win against the Panthers at home, they’re riding high on momentum. Plus, let’s not forget their impressive record of 15-7 against the spread in their last 22 games — they know how to compete.

On the flip side, those Penguins may be boasting about their four-game winning streak and a solid home victory over New Jersey (7-3), but don’t let those numbers fool you! Sure, they’ve been scoring an average of nearly 3 goals per game (2.913), but when you look deeper into their shooting percentage and overall offensive stats – it paints a picture that shows inconsistency creeping in. Their power play sits at 24.34%, which sounds great until you compare it to our Isles’ notorious knack for defense.

The Islanders may struggle offensively with only around 2.662 goals per game and a mere 11.52% success rate on power plays. But their defensive stats tell another story; they boast an impressive save percentage of 89.7%. That should give them confidence coming into tonight’s clash — especially considering that the Penguins’ penalty kill is sitting pretty low at just 70.63%. It’s all about capitalizing on those opportunities!

Now onto how I see this playing out: I truly believe the Islanders will not only win this game but also cover any spread laid down before them — especially being underdogs tonight! When you’ve got players who are ready to put everything on the line for pride and position, sometimes heart trumps stats.

As for totals? Given both teams’ tendencies to grind defensively lately (with Pittsburgh having four of their last six games go UNDER), I’m betting we’ll end up seeing something similar tonight. My prediction? A tight battle where both sides dig deep, leading us to a score likely hovering somewhere under that total line of 5.5.

So there you have it! Grab your lucky jersey, find your spot on the couch because come game time — this one’s going to be electric! Go Isles!