Penguins slight underdogs for crucial meeting with Islanders

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will be slight underdogs when they travel to UBS Arena to face the New York Islanders in a crucial Metropolitan Division game Friday night.

Pittsburgh (27-17-9, 63 points) is currently betting at -105 on the money line, and the Islanders (27-23-7) are at -115. The goal total has been set at six with the over paying +100 and the under at -120.

The Penguins are in the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Washington Capitals and two points ahead of the Islanders.

What makes Friday’s game even more crucial for the Islanders is that the Penguins have only played 53 games this season and the Islanders have already played 57, giving the Pens four games in hand and a decent margin of error.

It’s also the first game in a three-game stretch over four nights. Pittsburgh will host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday and receive a visit from the Islanders on Monday.

Coach Mike Sullivan understands the importance of each game during the final stretch of the season but also knows that the division games mean even more right now.

“Every game is important; there are points on the line every night regardless of who you play,” Sullivan said. “But when you play inside your division and conference, there are four-point implications. By nature of that, there are different circumstances and a heightened meaning to those games.”

With the Penguins sitting nine points behind the New York Rangers for third place in the division, it’s likely that Pittsburgh will be in a fight to keep its wild card every night.

Beyond the Capitals and Islanders, the Florida Panthers (60 points), Buffalo Sabres (58 points) and Detroit Red Wings (58 points) are in the crowded race for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

Despite that, Pittsburgh’s playoff experience has kept them among the top end of the NHL according to the oddsmakers. Currently, the Penguins are +1300 to win the Eastern Conference and +2500 to win the Stanley Cup.

The Penguins’ core of forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang is aging but still capable of a deep playoff run. Last year the Penguins were underdogs going into their first-round series with the Rangers but took a 3-1 lead in the series. However, injuries to their top two goaltenders forced them to start journeyman Louis Domingue and the Rangers won three straight.

Pittsburgh appears to be getting healthy in goal at the right time. Casey DeSmith is 6-5-2 since the start of January, and he’s been solid while starter Tristan Jarry is recovering from an upper-body injury.

Jarry is practicing and Sullivan says he is close to returning, but the goaltender still needs to be cleared by the Penguins’ medical staff. If Jarry is healthy going into the playoffs, Pittsburgh’s odds might even improve a little. If concerns about Jarry’s health linger past this week, don’t be surprised if Pittsburgh looks for help in goal before the trade deadline.

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