The transition to the Eastern Conference hasn’t been as kind to the Detroit Red Wings as they might have initially expected. Prior to Thursday’s matchup against the Washington Capitals, the team was in the middle of their second four-game losing streak of the season. Detroit started with a loss to the Winnipeg Jets nearly two weeks ago and has since dropped three straight overtime games. The only silver lining for the Red Wings during that span is the fact that they earned three points and managed to stay within striking distance of the Atlantic Division lead.

The New York Islanders just finished up a tough four-game road trip where they lost every game and did not earn any points in the standings. The team then returned home for a three-game stand and split games against the Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings. New York has earned 17 points for the season and is still a threat to make the playoffs and possibly even contend in the Metropolitan Division. Of course, the team will need to earn points whenever they can, particularly when they are at home against struggling teams. Let’s take a closer look at Saturday’s Red Wings versus Islanders matchup and figure out which side of the wager has the most value.

Red Wings at Islanders Betting Story Lines
                                                              
Detroit will enter their matchup against the Islanders on the second night of a back-to-back after hosting the Washington Capitals on Friday night. The Red Wings’ last game prior to playing the Capitals was a shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. During that matchup Detroit took 43 shot attempts but was only able to score two goals in a game that went into overtime. The Red Wings even managed to outshoot the Jets 16-2 during the third period, yet they were unable to gain an advantage in a game that ended with a 2-2 tie.

Detroit has been competitive during their four-game slide, and they are not necessarily in an offensive slump. However, the team has come up short when things have mattered the most over the last two weeks. Goaltender Jimmy Howard has been in front of the net during Detroit’s last five matchups and might be given the night off by Coach Mike Babcock. Henrik Zetterberg, the team’s left winger, has been a bright spot offensively for the Red Wings over the last four games. Zetterberg has scored seven points during Detroit’s last four losses.

The Islanders have lost five of their last six matchups and are coming off of a loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. New York entered the third period of that game with a two goal lead but was bombarded by Los Angeles’ offense and managed to give up three goals in 20 minutes to lose the game. The Islanders were obviously disappointed by the loss, but head coach Jack Capuano believes that outside of the third-period meltdown, the team has shown improvements over their last two games.

Betting wise, New York has a 10-10 record against the puckline and has only lost bettors $23 this season. The Red Wings have a 6-13 puckline record and have lost bettors $743 on the year. On the moneyline, both teams have lost bettors a large amount. The Islanders are down $750 on the moneyline, while the Red Wings are down $430.

Red Wings at Islanders NHL Betting Odds and Key Trends

The line for Saturday’s matchup opened at -105 for both teams, according to BetOnline. The total was set at 5.5 goals, with the “under” being favored at -131. The Red Wings are 7-2 over their last nine games played on the second night of a back-to-back. They are also 5-2 over their last seven road games but 0-4 during their last four overall matchups. Detroit’s under has come in seven times during their last 11 games against the Eastern Conference and nine times during their last 15 Saturday games.

The Islanders are 1-4 during their last five games played on one day of rest and are 3-13 against teams with losing records. New York’s under is 4-0 during their last four home games, but the team has gone “over” four times during their last five matchups against the Atlantic Division. Heat-to-head, the over is 5-1 during the last six meeting in New York, while Detroit has not won a game against the Islanders during the last four meetings.

Free NHL Picks: Red Wings at Islanders Predictions

The Islanders are coming off a crushing loss to the Kings, and they will hit the road for three straight games after Saturday’s matchup against the Red Wings. This game has much more meaning and context for a New York team that suddenly understands the importance of earning points whenever they can. Detroit, on the other hand, is coming off the second game of a back-to-back and will be returning home for a three-game stand next week. Saturday’s road matchup against the Islanders may not be of the utmost of importance to a Red Wings team that is struggling to deal with the nightly grind of the NHL schedule. Both teams are in a bit of a slump, but New York understands that it needs to win this game. Take the Islanders on the moneyline.

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