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Game Preview: New York Islanders @ Tampa Bay Lightning
The New York Islanders visit Amalie Arena on December 2 to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in a matchup between two Eastern Conference teams with contrasting styles.
Tampa Bay leans heavily on high-powered offense and elite skill, while the Islanders continue to focus on defensive structure and strong goaltending. With both clubs jockeying for playoff positioning in a tight conference, this game offers sharp betting value and strong trends to monitor.
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Odds and Key Information
Tampa Bay opens as a -145 home favorite, with New York priced at +125. The total is set at 5.5 goals, slightly lower than most games due to the Islanders’ pace and style of play.
The Lightning come into this matchup with a record of 13-9-1, scoring 3.5 goals per game and allowing 3.1. Their power play ranks top-three at 30%, and the penalty kill sits just under 81%.
The Islanders are 11-10-2, averaging only 2.6 goals per game while allowing 2.9. Their power play is just 17%, but the penalty kill is a strong 84%.
Access the most accurate daily NHL odds at Scores and Odds and keep up with the best NHL picks before game time.
New York Islanders Outlook
The Islanders continue to rely on a slow-tempo, defense-first game plan that limits shot volume and relies on quality goaltending. Ilya Sorokin remains one of the NHL’s most dependable netminders and gives New York a chance every night.
Offensively, the team struggles to generate high-danger chances and often gets outshot. Mathew Barzal is still the main offensive driver, but scoring depth has been an issue. The Islanders play best when they frustrate opponents, clog the neutral zone, and capitalize on mistakes.
Their success depends on defensive structure, strong penalty killing, and opportunistic offense. This formula has worked in spurts this season but remains inconsistent. Check all updates on their team profile.
Tampa Bay Lightning Outlook
The Lightning remain one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. Nikita Kucherov is among the league leaders in scoring, and Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos continue to be elite contributors.
Tampa Bay’s top power play unit is converting at a remarkable rate, and their ability to score quickly puts pressure on opponents to play a faster, more open style.
Defensively, they’ve had issues with turnovers and coverage lapses, but Andrei Vasilevskiy’s return in goal has helped stabilize the back end. If they can clean up defensive zone exits, they remain a tough team to beat — especially at home.
Track Lightning stats and results on their team page.
Key Matchup
This game will likely be decided by how well the Islanders can limit Tampa Bay’s power play.
New York plays a conservative style that tends to lead to low-penalty games. If they can stay out of the box and play tight 5-on-5 defense, they’ll have a chance to grind out a low-scoring result.
The Lightning will try to speed up the game, create space, and force New York into mistakes. If they score early, they could open things up and force the Islanders out of their comfort zone.
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Betting Trends
- Tampa Bay is 5-2 in its last 7 home games
- Islanders are 2-6 in their last 8 games vs teams above .500
- The Under is 5-1 in the last 6 Islanders road games
- Tampa Bay is 6-1 in its last 7 games vs the Islanders
- The Over is 7-3 in Tampa Bay’s last 10 overall
Explore more NHL-specific betting strategies in the expert betting guide.
Prediction
Tampa Bay’s high-powered offense, elite power play, and home-ice advantage give them the edge here. The Islanders can slow the game down and limit damage, but they don’t have the firepower to keep up if the Lightning start fast.
Unless Sorokin stands on his head and the Isles play a perfect game defensively, the Lightning should pull away late.
Projected Score: Tampa Bay Lightning 3, New York Islanders 1
Spread Pick: Tampa Bay -1.5
Total Lean: Under 5.5
Why You Need Expert Picks
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