by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Feb 24, 2023
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Where to watch: MSGSN, BSW
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Islanders -125, Kings +105
FanDuel: Islanders -125, Kings +105
BetMGM: Islanders -125, Kings +105
Caesars: Islanders -125, Kings +105
Season record
Kings: 32-19-8
Islanders: 30-24-7
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!
Kings - Islanders preview, prediction and analysis
The Los Angeles Kings will be playing the New York Islanders on Friday, February 24 in Elmont, New York.
The Los Angeles lost against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, February 23 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey with a score of 4-3 in overtime. The Los Angeles Kings currently rank 2nd in the Pacific Division.
Anze Kopitar and Sean Durzi each had a goal and an assist, Kevin Fiala had two assists, and Pheonix Copley made 28 saves for the Kings (32-19-8), who lost their second straight after a four-game winning streak.
"It's a good point, but at the same time, it's disappointing having the lead very late in the game and giving it up," said Kopitar, the Los Angeles captain. "Obviously we'll take the points, but we can't be just happy with just the one point."
Kopitar gave the Kings a 1-0 lead on a breakaway at 7:24 of the first period when he controlled a lead pass from Durzi and backhanded the puck between Vanecek's pads.
Viktor Arvidsson made it 2-0 at 11:35, scoring on a rebound at the bottom of the left face-off circle off a 2-on-1 with Fiala.
New Jersey tied it with two scored goals making it 2-2. Durzi gave the Kings a 3-2 lead at 15:41 on a shot at the left post off a backdoor pass from Kopitar.
"There's not a lot of teams that come into this building or play against that team that leave with points," Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. "On the other side of it, it is disappointing we couldn't get the last 30 seconds done, but we have to give them some credit too. They broke us down and they made a nice play to the net."
Nico Hischier tied it for New Jersey, 3-3 with 39 seconds remaining in the third period. Dawson Mercer’s second goal of the game was scored in overtime giving the New Jersey Devils the win.
The Los Angeles Kings have won seven of their last 10 games as of February 22.
The New York Islanders won against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, February 22 at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York with a score of 2-1. The New York Islanders currently rank 4th in the Metropolitan Division.
Simon Holmstrom broke a tie in the third period for the New York Islanders.
Aho gave New York a 1-0 lead during a 4-on-4 situation at 17:35 of the first period. After Jets forward Mason Appleton turned the puck over in the offensive zone, Aho scored on the rebound of Brock Nelson's wrist shot from the right circle. It was Aho's fifth goal of the season and first in 16 games (Jan. 16).
"That's what you need," Islanders coach Lane Lambert said of secondary scoring. "We're going to have to continue to have that."
Nikolaj Ehlers tied it 1-1 on the power play at 4:30 of the second period when he eluded Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri in the left circle and ripped a wrist shot past Sorokin.
Winnipeg outshot New York 12-4 in the second but was outshot 7-5 in the third.
Holmstrom, who entered with three goals in 32 NHL games, gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 9:57 with a wrist shot from the edge of the right face-off circle after a drop pass from Bo Horvat.
"Just a good forecheck from our line (with Horvat and Matt Martin) there," Holmstrom said. "... I got a good pass from Bo there and I was just trying to hit the net.
" … It was just unbelievable. It was just a great goal to score and a huge win for us."
Ilya Sorokin made 25 saves, and Sebastian Aho also scored for the Islanders (30-24-7), who have won three of their past four games.
"We did what we had to do to come out with the two points," New York forward Zach Parise said. "We need a lot of those at this time of year; it doesn't matter how you do it. We took care of business."
"Not only did we come up with the [game-winning] goal, but I thought we did a [really] good job defending in the third," Lambert said. "Much better than we did in the second period."
The New York Islanders have won six of their last 10 games.
Prediction
That's a gut-punch of a loss to the Devils for the Kings. A chance to make a statement and they only got one point. And now likely they get Ilya Sorokin in this one. Yikes. Islanders 3, Kings 1
The Los Angeles lost against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, February 23 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey with a score of 4-3 in overtime. The Los Angeles Kings currently rank 2nd in the Pacific Division.
Anze Kopitar and Sean Durzi each had a goal and an assist, Kevin Fiala had two assists, and Pheonix Copley made 28 saves for the Kings (32-19-8), who lost their second straight after a four-game winning streak.
"It's a good point, but at the same time, it's disappointing having the lead very late in the game and giving it up," said Kopitar, the Los Angeles captain. "Obviously we'll take the points, but we can't be just happy with just the one point."
Kopitar gave the Kings a 1-0 lead on a breakaway at 7:24 of the first period when he controlled a lead pass from Durzi and backhanded the puck between Vanecek's pads.
Viktor Arvidsson made it 2-0 at 11:35, scoring on a rebound at the bottom of the left face-off circle off a 2-on-1 with Fiala.
New Jersey tied it with two scored goals making it 2-2. Durzi gave the Kings a 3-2 lead at 15:41 on a shot at the left post off a backdoor pass from Kopitar.
"There's not a lot of teams that come into this building or play against that team that leave with points," Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. "On the other side of it, it is disappointing we couldn't get the last 30 seconds done, but we have to give them some credit too. They broke us down and they made a nice play to the net."
Nico Hischier tied it for New Jersey, 3-3 with 39 seconds remaining in the third period. Dawson Mercer’s second goal of the game was scored in overtime giving the New Jersey Devils the win.
The Los Angeles Kings have won seven of their last 10 games as of February 22.
The New York Islanders won against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, February 22 at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York with a score of 2-1. The New York Islanders currently rank 4th in the Metropolitan Division.
Simon Holmstrom broke a tie in the third period for the New York Islanders.
Aho gave New York a 1-0 lead during a 4-on-4 situation at 17:35 of the first period. After Jets forward Mason Appleton turned the puck over in the offensive zone, Aho scored on the rebound of Brock Nelson's wrist shot from the right circle. It was Aho's fifth goal of the season and first in 16 games (Jan. 16).
"That's what you need," Islanders coach Lane Lambert said of secondary scoring. "We're going to have to continue to have that."
Nikolaj Ehlers tied it 1-1 on the power play at 4:30 of the second period when he eluded Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri in the left circle and ripped a wrist shot past Sorokin.
Winnipeg outshot New York 12-4 in the second but was outshot 7-5 in the third.
Holmstrom, who entered with three goals in 32 NHL games, gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 9:57 with a wrist shot from the edge of the right face-off circle after a drop pass from Bo Horvat.
"Just a good forecheck from our line (with Horvat and Matt Martin) there," Holmstrom said. "... I got a good pass from Bo there and I was just trying to hit the net.
" … It was just unbelievable. It was just a great goal to score and a huge win for us."
Ilya Sorokin made 25 saves, and Sebastian Aho also scored for the Islanders (30-24-7), who have won three of their past four games.
"We did what we had to do to come out with the two points," New York forward Zach Parise said. "We need a lot of those at this time of year; it doesn't matter how you do it. We took care of business."
"Not only did we come up with the [game-winning] goal, but I thought we did a [really] good job defending in the third," Lambert said. "Much better than we did in the second period."
The New York Islanders have won six of their last 10 games.
Prediction
That's a gut-punch of a loss to the Devils for the Kings. A chance to make a statement and they only got one point. And now likely they get Ilya Sorokin in this one. Yikes. Islanders 3, Kings 1
Betting trends
Kings are 12-13 in non-conference games this season.
Islanders are 13-11 after a non-conference game this season.
Islanders are 10-7 off a home win this season.
Projected lines
Kings:
Quinton Byfield -- Anze Kopitar -- Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore -- Phillip Danault -- Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala -- Blake Lizotte -- Alex Iafallo
Gabriel Vilardi -- Rasmus Kupari -- Arthur Kaliyev
Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty
Sean Durzi -- Matt Roy
Tobias Bjornfot -- Sean Walker
Jonathan Quick
Quinton Byfield -- Anze Kopitar -- Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore -- Phillip Danault -- Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala -- Blake Lizotte -- Alex Iafallo
Gabriel Vilardi -- Rasmus Kupari -- Arthur Kaliyev
Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty
Sean Durzi -- Matt Roy
Tobias Bjornfot -- Sean Walker
Jonathan Quick
Islanders:
Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Matt Martin
Zach Parise -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Arnaud Durandeau -- Casey Cizikas -- Hudson Fasching
Ross Johnston -- Otto Koivula -- Simon Holmstrom
Adam Pelech -- Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov -- Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho -- Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Matt Martin
Zach Parise -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Arnaud Durandeau -- Casey Cizikas -- Hudson Fasching
Ross Johnston -- Otto Koivula -- Simon Holmstrom
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.
