Penguins Islanders Spread and Money Line
Droves of NHL betting fans from across North America will tune in to watch tonight's eagerly anticipated matchup between the New York Islanders and hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins, not least because the home team will see the welcome return of talented centre and team captain, Sidney Crosby.
Tonight's game at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh will be the first in almost 10 months that Crosby will suit up for the Penguins, after he was benched with a serious concussion. What makes Crosby's return so important is that he is widely considered to be 'the face of hockey' and one of the most recognized and revered sportsmen in North America.
As such, it will be interesting to see how 24-year-old fares in his first game in almost a year, even though his team are favored over the New York Islanders, according to the Penguins Islanders spread at Betonline.com, which has the Penguins as the -210 money line favorites versus the Islanders at +190.
| Spread | Money Line | Total Points | |
| A New York Islanders | +1? -160 | +190 | Ov 5? +117 |
| H Pittsburgh Penguins | -1? +140 | -210 | Un 5? -127 |
Pittsburgh Penguins Seek a Hat Trick Tonight
It won't be lost on NHL betting fans that the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Islanders in their first two meetings this season, and now with the no doubt highly amped Crosby back in the Penguins, they'll be seeking to make a hat trick. Fans of the Penguins have been describing tonight's showdown as 'Hockey Christmas', to put added pressure on the visitors.
But the Islanders have only themselves to blame considering that in the last month they've won only two games, and seem no closer to reversing their fortunes. One of these was a much-needed 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens last week, which they then followed up with a 0-6 drubbing at the hands of the Boston Bruins last Saturday.
As doubtful as it is that New York will beat Pittsburgh tonight, if the Islanders do manage to pull out a win - which would be definitely considered an upset - it would go a long way to restore their reputation, which given the season they're having, is pretty much in tatters.
One thing is for sure though - neither team will hold back tonight, so expect a long and possibly very bloody game.
