PREMIUM
"The Coach's" NHL Total DOMINATION
(NHL) NY Islanders vs. Washington,
Total: 5.00 | -130.00 Over
Result: Loss
Total: 5.00 | -130.00 Over
Result: Loss
The New York Islanders and the Washington Capitals are tied at 2-2 in this Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series as they take the ice at Verizon Center for Game 5 tonight. We've seen a low-scoring series so far, and I think goals will come at a premium in tonight's crucial match-up as well.
Here are my keys to the game:
1. Goaltending - Both Jaroslav Halak and Braden Holtby have been excellent so far in this series. They both really seem to perform at their best in the playoffs, as Holtby's .932 SV% ranks third among active goalies with at least 15 postseason starts and Halak is not far behind in sixth with a .925 SV% over all his outings in the post-season.
2. Previous Meetings - The first two games in the series saw a total of 12 goals, but the two most recent have both been 2-1 games with the teams winning one each. Considering what's at stake tonight I expect both teams to come out with a careful approach, and note that the under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in Washington.
3. X-Factor - Alexander Ovechkin has been rather quiet in the playoffs so far and has notched only two goals on 23 shots. That 8.7 shooting percentage is well below the 13.4% he compiled during the regular season.
Selection: This is a play on NYI@WAS to go under the total (10*)
Here are my keys to the game:
1. Goaltending - Both Jaroslav Halak and Braden Holtby have been excellent so far in this series. They both really seem to perform at their best in the playoffs, as Holtby's .932 SV% ranks third among active goalies with at least 15 postseason starts and Halak is not far behind in sixth with a .925 SV% over all his outings in the post-season.
2. Previous Meetings - The first two games in the series saw a total of 12 goals, but the two most recent have both been 2-1 games with the teams winning one each. Considering what's at stake tonight I expect both teams to come out with a careful approach, and note that the under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in Washington.
3. X-Factor - Alexander Ovechkin has been rather quiet in the playoffs so far and has notched only two goals on 23 shots. That 8.7 shooting percentage is well below the 13.4% he compiled during the regular season.
Selection: This is a play on NYI@WAS to go under the total (10*)