Islanders or Senators on Wednesday Night?

Quinn Allen
By , Updated on: Jan 24, 2023 07:00 PM
Islanders or Senators on Wednesday Night?

Wednesday's NHL slate will begin with a matchup between a pair of teams who are struggling lately as Matthew Barzal and the New York Islanders take on the Ottawa Senators in the Canadian capital. The puck drops at 7 PM ET at the Canadian Tire Centre. the Isles just got pummeled 5-2 on Monday against the always-tough Toronto Maple Leafs, falling to 1-6-3 in their last 10 games. The Sens aren't in better shape either, losing back-to-back contests, including a 5-1 defeat to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. At least they come in well-rested here. Find the Islanders vs Senators prediction below.

Before we get into the odds and predictions for this game make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.

Islanders vs Senators Odds

BetOnlinePuck LineMoneylineTotal
NY Islanders+1.5 (-255)+114Ov 6 (-105)
Ottawa Senators-1.5 ('+215)-126Un 6 (-105)

The Sens are favored by 1.5 on the puck line but as you can see by the Isles' odds (-255 odds) the sportsbooks clearly believe New York will keep this one close. As for the moneyline, Ottawa sits at -126, while the visitors come back at +114.

It's actually quite surprising the Islanders are the underdog. After all, they've won four straight contests against the Senators dating back to 2021. That includes several dominant victories.

New York vs Ottawa Betting Outlook

While it's not even the All-Star break yet, it appears the Isles have a tall task ahead of them to actually make the playoffs. The team is currently in 11th place in the East with a 23-21-5 record and has dropped five consecutive games coming into Wednesday. Needless to say, New York is in a serious slump. Three of the defeats were blowouts too as the Bruins, Hurricanes, and most recently, the Leafs took them down.

The Islanders had no answer for Toronto on Monday. After Anders Lee put NY ahead in the first period, the Leafs exploded in the second, scoring four times. The Isles never had a response, except for Lee's second of the game in that same period. Barzal really needs to wake up and start producing for this squad, last scoring back on January 5th. His lack of goals is a big reason the Islanders are in the midst of a rough season. He's only netted 11 times. On a more positive note, Barzal does have 31 assists.

The Senators are also in rough shape. They've lost back-to-back games and own a 4-6 record in their previous 10 appearances. The franchise is still up for sale as well. Ottawa is extremely sub-par on both ends of the ice, ranking 25th in goals scored (2.87) and 20th in goals allowed (3.3). Tim Stutzle is the leading catalyst in front of net with 20 goals and 23 assists, while captain Brady Tkachuk has 17 goals and 30 assists. While there are five different players in double-figures in scoring, there's just not enough nightly consistency from the roster, especially when they play good teams. For example, Saturday against Winnipeg.

The Jets are one of the best defensive squads around and completely shut down the Sens' attack, conceding just one goal. Ottawa netminder Anton Forsberg was also beaten five times, with Mark Schiefele scoring twice on his own. Josh Norris scored the lone goal for the Senators as they registered 26 shots. Between their struggles as a whole and versus the Islanders, Ottawa knows Wednesday's affair will not be easy by any means necessary.

Islanders vs Senators Prediction

It's only a matter of time until the Isles get back in the win column, right? As an underdog here, it feels like the perfect time to take them on the moneyline. Everything says New York will end the skid on Wednesday.

New York Islanders Moneyline pick vs Ottawa Senators
+114
BetOnline

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Meet the author

Quinn Allen

Quinn Allen leverages his broadcast journalism degree and passion for sports in his betting previews and analysis. Based in Kelowna, Canada, he has emerged as an expert voice with picks featured on OSB, MTS, SBD, and as a ClutchPoints editor. With a lifelong fandom of...

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