New York Islanders vs Buffalo Sabres: Are the Hosts Making it into the Play-Offs?

New York and Buffalo will play another NHL match. Barry Trotz's team still can't get out of the bottom of the standing and need victories. Will the Islanders beat the Sabres? Let's choose several options for the bet.

The Islanders had a horrible first third of the regular season for some reason. Barry Trotz's team currently is on the Capital Division standings bottom, 11 points behind the wild card zone of the Eastern Conference. The situation is not catastrophic. The Islanders cannot be underestimated. It is no coincidence that the team has been the only one capable of stopping Tampa Bay for two years, and in the second half of the season, it will surely get what it lost at the beginning.

In the last nine matches before the COVID break, the Islanders scored points in 7 meetings. They won only three times, but the progress is noticeable. The team is moving on from the troubles.

The New York Islanders will play their first game after the break, and Buffalo has already played its match. Don Granato's team did not cope with the New Jersey Devils. 3:4 - the double by Tage Thompson. Before the pause, Buffalo showed a brilliant 4-matches streak, gaining points. Also, the Sabres got a draw in regular time with such strong opponents as Washington and Pittsburgh; they beat Winnipeg and Minnesota. The first match is a home defeat from one of the outsiders of the season. The pause didn't do Buffalo any good.

Buffalo is not the strongest team. For New York, it is such a perfect opportunity to earn some points. However, a victory of the Islanders is not the best option. Considering the Islanders' unresolved game problems, the absence of Mathew Barzal and the quality playing of Buffalo before the pause, it is possible to believe that the players will make it into overtime. Prediction: New York is likely to win.