The Islanders quietly hold the NHL-high five-game point streak and moved back into playoff contention with Thursday's 5-2 win in Vancouver.
They will look to continue their strong play in Seattle on Saturday, with oddsmakers predicting a close battle.
The Devils made a statement this week with back-to-back regulation wins over the defending champion Panthers at Sunrise.
They will play another quality opponent Saturday night when they visit Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning.
Below I outline my best bets for this pair's matchup.
New York Islanders vs. Seattle Kraken predictions
The Islanders have a 4-1-2 record (4-3 straight up) since missing Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech, making oddsmakers very profitable to back the team. They are a highly capable team. Their skeletal lineup is underappreciated.
What's also interesting is that these matches have an average total of 6.85 goals per game, all of which are more than the total stake.
Prior to the game against the Canucks, most of those games were hard-fought games, where they were a little less defensive but still managed to get a point or two.
I was very favorable to their play at the time and give full credit to the organized team game that allowed them to surprise many quality opponents.
Maxim Tsyplakov and Isaiah George continue to play big roles and help fill in other gaps on the roster.
What has been particularly surprising about the Isles' recent play has been their high scoring lines in recent matchups.
They have played a lot of games, especially against high-event teams, but analysis suggests that this situation will not continue.
Over the past six games, the Islanders have generated 3.17 xGF/60 and allowed 3.25 xGA/60.
Many of these matchups featured late-game offensive outbursts, including some controversial turnarounds in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Over time, these outbursts will likely stop continuing, and the totals should more accurately reflect their playstyle.
The Islanders have one of the best goaltenders in the world in Ilya Sorokin, who is expected to start Saturday, but he hasn't shown much potential as a truly dynamic offensive skater.
A total of 5.5 seems pretty low considering recent Isles games have found a way to exceed totals of 6 and 6.5, but considering the way Seattle has played, it makes sense.
The Kraken have generated just 2.80 xGF/60 this month, which is the seventh-lowest mark in the league.
They have only scored 3.00 goals per game this year, despite converting more chances than expected.
However, Kraken netminder Joey Daccord has quietly emerged as one of the league's better starters, and his play has helped Seattle to a respectable 8-8-1 record.
He played in 11 games this season, posting a +6.5 GSAx rating and a .918 save percentage.
I think it's worth keeping this matchup to no more than 5.5 goals at -105 (bet 365), and I'm willing to play better than -110.
New Jersey Devils vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction
The Devils have struggled to find consistency in Sheldon Keefe's early days as head coach, but they are trending in the right direction heading into this matchup with a 7-2-1 record.
In these matchups, the goal difference is +18 and the expected goal share is 56.75%.
If Jacob Markstrom can continue to play for the Flames like he did last season, their roster will have one of the biggest upsides in the entire league.
Markstrom stopped 34 of 35 shots in Tuesday's game between the Devils and the Panthers, and should be able to improve his GSAx-1.0 based on his previous dominance.
The Devils feature one of the best 1-2 punches in the middle of the NHL, something that is common to basically every Cup-winning roster.
They have a likely candidate for Zelke on the top line in Nico Isier and an elite offensive dynamo in Jack Hughes.
He also features a deep defensive core that does an excellent job of moving the puck up the ice quickly and diving into attacks.
New Jersey's power play has been excellent this season, with a success rate of 30.5%.
As long as Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton are healthy, they should continue to be one of the better units in the league.
The Lightning came off an oddly timed week-long break with a convincing 4-1 victory over the hotly contested Winnipeg Jets, but their performance earned them even recognition in this matchup. Looks like you're getting it.
Would you bet on the NHL?
They will likely be without top center Brayden Point for this matchup, leaving a big hole on the top line.
Over the past 10 games, the Lightning have an expected goal share of 49.27% and a 5-4-1 record.
They have been an overrated betting team in each of the past two seasons and continue to hold tremendous value based on the reputation they built with back-to-back cup wins in 2020 and 2021.
Considering how New Jersey has been lately, it's probably a good time to back New Jersey in a game that is priced as a catch as of this writing.
If it's -120 or higher, I think it's worth backing the Devils to continue their strong play on Saturday.
Best bet: Devils money line (-110, bet 365)
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Nicholas Martin handicaps the NHL, MLB, and NFL for the New York Post. He strives to include relevant game notes in his articles to help bettors reach their own conclusions, but he's also up 180 units himself on the sports betting app's verified picks. Nick can be found at X @nickm_hockey.
