by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Mar 04, 2023
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Where to watch: MSGSN, BSDET
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Islanders -200, Red Wings +170
FanDuel: Islanders -200, Red Wings +170
BetMGM: Islanders -200, Red Wings +170
Caesars: Islanders -200, Red Wings +170
Season record
Red Wings: 28-24-9
Islanders: 31-25-8
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Red Wings - Islanders preview, prediction and analysis
The Detroit Red Wings will be playing the New York Islanders on Saturday, March 4 in New York.
The Detroit Red Wings lost against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, March 2 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan with a score of 5-4 in overtime. The Detroit Red Wings currently rank 7th in the Atlantic Division.
Ville Husso made 32 saves for the Red Wings (28-24-9), who are 0-3-1 in their past four games. Detroit was playing its first game since trading forward Tyler Bertuzzi and defenseman Filip Hronek.
"All in all, this is a pretty good point," Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. "It has been a really emotional few days and then we got down 3-1 tonight. I was proud of the guys for showing some pushback and getting back into the game."
The Kraken took a 1-0 lead 1:12 into the first period when Jordan Eberle beat two defenders before sliding a backhand pass across the slot for McCann's one-timer and 28th goal. Ben Chiarot beat Jones on the short side to make it 1-1 at 3:08, but Bjorkstrand made it 2-1 at 5:33, tapping in Alex Wennberg's pass.
Jared McCann got his second of the period at 12:19, scoring two seconds after a power play to put Seattle ahead 3-1. Adam Erne scored on a delayed penalty to cut it to 3-2 at 18:39.
Jonatan Berggren tied it 3-3 at 2:59 of the second period, putting in Filip Zadina's pass and ending Jones' night. Jaden Schwartz put the Kraken ahead 4-3 at 6:17, scoring nine seconds after another Kraken power play.
"We gave up goals at some tough times," Lalonde said. "We killed two penalties and gave up goals shortly afterward, and then we did a great job on the kill in overtime and gave up a goal with four seconds left."
Jake Walman made it 4-4 at 14:48, avoiding two sliding shot-blockers and beating Grubauer for his sixth of the season. Bjorkstrand nearly gave Seattle the lead at 13:37 of the third period. His shot looped over Husso, but Olli Maatta kicked it along the goal line and off the post before Husso covered it.
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his second goal of the game at 3:33 of overtime to give Seattle the win.
The Detroit Red Wings have won five of their last 10 games.
The New York Islanders lost against the Minnesota Wild last Tuesday, February 28 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 2-1 resulting from a shootout. The New York Islanders currently rank 5th in the Metropolitan Division.
Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves, and Josh Bailey scored for the Islanders (31-25-8), who have points in four of five (3-1-1). They are 0-5 in the shootout this season with one goal in 14 attempts.
"Guys got to find a way to score," New York coach Lane Lambert said. "It's them and the goalie. They've got to find a way to score, that's all there is to it. That's why. We're not scoring goals in the shootout. We're not winning the shootouts. They have to find a way."
Bailey ended a 23-game drought at 14:15 of the first period when he scored on a rebound to give New York a 1-0 lead. It was his first goal since Dec. 27.
"It felt good, obviously," Bailey said. "You just want to get in there and get it over with and get one and get on the board. So, you try treat every game like it's a new opportunity and that will be the same on Saturday (against the Detroit Red Wings)."
Ryan Reaves tied it 1-1 at 18:00, batting Jordan Greenway's rebound out of midway after Sorokin made a save on a shot from the left face-off circle.
Each team had 15 shots on goal in the first.
"I think their goalie played a good game," Lambert said. "I think our goalie played a good game when he had to."
Filip Gustavsson kept it tied at 13:12 of the third period with a save against Zach Parise, who was alone down low. He later stretched his pad out to stop a rush from Palmieri 59 seconds into overtime, followed by back-to-back saves on Parise at 1:42 and 1:44.
Gustavsson made three saves in the shootout where Minnesota ultimately won with a final score of 2-1.
The New York Islanders have won four of their last 10 games.
Prediction
The Red Wings had a weird week leading up to the deadline, going from selling to buying and back to selling. It's going to be a weird stretch for Detroit. Islanders 3, Red Wings 2
The Detroit Red Wings lost against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, March 2 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan with a score of 5-4 in overtime. The Detroit Red Wings currently rank 7th in the Atlantic Division.
Ville Husso made 32 saves for the Red Wings (28-24-9), who are 0-3-1 in their past four games. Detroit was playing its first game since trading forward Tyler Bertuzzi and defenseman Filip Hronek.
"All in all, this is a pretty good point," Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. "It has been a really emotional few days and then we got down 3-1 tonight. I was proud of the guys for showing some pushback and getting back into the game."
The Kraken took a 1-0 lead 1:12 into the first period when Jordan Eberle beat two defenders before sliding a backhand pass across the slot for McCann's one-timer and 28th goal. Ben Chiarot beat Jones on the short side to make it 1-1 at 3:08, but Bjorkstrand made it 2-1 at 5:33, tapping in Alex Wennberg's pass.
Jared McCann got his second of the period at 12:19, scoring two seconds after a power play to put Seattle ahead 3-1. Adam Erne scored on a delayed penalty to cut it to 3-2 at 18:39.
Jonatan Berggren tied it 3-3 at 2:59 of the second period, putting in Filip Zadina's pass and ending Jones' night. Jaden Schwartz put the Kraken ahead 4-3 at 6:17, scoring nine seconds after another Kraken power play.
"We gave up goals at some tough times," Lalonde said. "We killed two penalties and gave up goals shortly afterward, and then we did a great job on the kill in overtime and gave up a goal with four seconds left."
Jake Walman made it 4-4 at 14:48, avoiding two sliding shot-blockers and beating Grubauer for his sixth of the season. Bjorkstrand nearly gave Seattle the lead at 13:37 of the third period. His shot looped over Husso, but Olli Maatta kicked it along the goal line and off the post before Husso covered it.
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his second goal of the game at 3:33 of overtime to give Seattle the win.
The Detroit Red Wings have won five of their last 10 games.
The New York Islanders lost against the Minnesota Wild last Tuesday, February 28 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with a score of 2-1 resulting from a shootout. The New York Islanders currently rank 5th in the Metropolitan Division.
Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves, and Josh Bailey scored for the Islanders (31-25-8), who have points in four of five (3-1-1). They are 0-5 in the shootout this season with one goal in 14 attempts.
"Guys got to find a way to score," New York coach Lane Lambert said. "It's them and the goalie. They've got to find a way to score, that's all there is to it. That's why. We're not scoring goals in the shootout. We're not winning the shootouts. They have to find a way."
Bailey ended a 23-game drought at 14:15 of the first period when he scored on a rebound to give New York a 1-0 lead. It was his first goal since Dec. 27.
"It felt good, obviously," Bailey said. "You just want to get in there and get it over with and get one and get on the board. So, you try treat every game like it's a new opportunity and that will be the same on Saturday (against the Detroit Red Wings)."
Ryan Reaves tied it 1-1 at 18:00, batting Jordan Greenway's rebound out of midway after Sorokin made a save on a shot from the left face-off circle.
Each team had 15 shots on goal in the first.
"I think their goalie played a good game," Lambert said. "I think our goalie played a good game when he had to."
Filip Gustavsson kept it tied at 13:12 of the third period with a save against Zach Parise, who was alone down low. He later stretched his pad out to stop a rush from Palmieri 59 seconds into overtime, followed by back-to-back saves on Parise at 1:42 and 1:44.
Gustavsson made three saves in the shootout where Minnesota ultimately won with a final score of 2-1.
The New York Islanders have won four of their last 10 games.
Prediction
The Red Wings had a weird week leading up to the deadline, going from selling to buying and back to selling. It's going to be a weird stretch for Detroit. Islanders 3, Red Wings 2
Projected lines
Red Wings:
Dominik Kubalik -- Dylan Larkin -- Lucas Raymond
Robby Fabbri -- Andrew Copp -- David Perron
Jonatan Berggren -- Joe Veleno -- Filip Zadina
Adam Erne -- Pius Suter
Jake Walman -- Moritz Seider
Olli Maatta -- Ben Chiarot
Robert Hagg -- Gustav Lindstrom
Magnus Hellberg
Islanders:
Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Pierre Engvall
Zach Parise -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Matt Martin -- Casey Cizikas -- Hudson Fasching
Simon Holmstrom -- Otto Koivula -- Josh Bailey
Adam Pelech -- Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov -- Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho -- Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Pierre Engvall
Zach Parise -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Matt Martin -- Casey Cizikas -- Hudson Fasching
Simon Holmstrom -- Otto Koivula -- Josh Bailey
Adam Pelech -- Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov -- Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho -- Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
