Islanders vs. Penguins NHL Playoffs Odds and Game 5 Pick – May 24th, 2021

By Hank Blaine • May 24, 2021

The Islanders vs. Penguins series is currently tied once again, as it shifts to Pittsburgh for Game 5. After the Islanders took a couple of losses, one at home and one on the road, New York had to get back on track, getting a 4-1 win in Game 4, still as visitors. It’s been a hard series to define, as they’ve been going at each other pretty rough.

Though they loss Game 4, the home field advantage for the Penguins is placing them as the favorites to win. Will they have enough power to come back after getting beat over the weekend? Or will the Islanders repeat the same fate as Game 1, taking another win in the PPG Paints Arena?

With all that, the NitroBetting news team delivers essential information in your direction. Explore important team details, key players, the latest NHL odds, betting trends, and expert betting predictions–all of which are geared towards better picks. Don’t forget to check out more Hockey odds and lines at our online BTC sportsbook before placing your bets!

Islanders vs. Penguins Game 5 Information

When: Monday, May 24th, 2021, 7:00 PM ET
Where: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: NBCSN, SN1, TVAS2, ATTSN-PT, MSG, MSG+
Radio: WRHY 88.7 FM (Islanders) // 105.9 FM The X (Penguins)
Live Stream: NHL Live
NHL Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Penguins (-143) / OU: 5.5

Why Bet on the New York Islanders?

One the changes from each game of this series has been the goaltender. The Isles’ kicked off the series with Ilya Sorokin, which he went on to make 39 saves during overtime. It was thought their star goalie Seymon Varlamov was going to start, after having a great regular season, with an Goals Against Average of 2.04 and a Save Percentage of .929. But this wasn’t the case when he played Game 2 and 3, which they lost.

So, coach Barry Trotz had to place Sorokin back for Game 4, which he played with greatness. He will most likely be the player to watch for the Islanders the rest of the series, if he stays in that position. Just comparing their performance in the playoffs, Sorokin has a average of +1.54 for Goals Saved Above Average, compared to Varlamov, who is currently averaging -1.46.

Why Bet on the Pittsburgh Penguins?

The Pens’ haven’t taken much advantage of the fact that New York was dealing with their goaltenders. Though they’ve had their difficulties of their own with Tristan Jarry. They’ve allowed many High-Danger Chances for the Isles. But they’ve converted 11.4% compared to New York’s 13.4% conversion rate. Not as great as would be expected.

Sidney Crosby is the player who has much pressure, because he hasn’t been able to perform as he usually does. He only has one goal in 14 shots, a lot lack in executing for the offense. He basically wasn’t present during Game 4 and had some good number in the previous ones. His playoff stats indicate a 40.7% faceoff percentage, which is quite low. Should their be a change in the front line? Maybe they should consider changes things up a bit.

Islanders vs. Penguins Betting Trends

The Islanders are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games.
The Islanders are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games against Pittsburgh.
The totals went UNDER in 4 of the Islanders’ last 6 games when playing as the underdog.
The Penguins are 11-4 SU in their last 15 games.
The Penguins are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against the Islanders.
The totals went UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 games played on a Monday.

Islanders vs. Penguins Expert Betting Predictions

The uncertainty of the offensive line for Pittsburgh and the defensive line for New York makes this choice difficult. But the team that has been able to understand and make changes to keep their hopes alive are the Islanders. They understood that changing their goalie brought much more pros then cons. In the case of the Penguins, they haven’t had a major impact when it comes to attacking. This right here could be the thing they had to revaluate if they want to stay alive and make it to the next round.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.