Chicago Blackhawks vs New York Islanders Betting Pick & Prediction 12/12/24

Don’t miss out on the NHL showdown between the Blackhawks and Islanders. The game is starting at 7:30 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 5.5 goals, with the Islanders being the favored by -1.5 goals against the Blackhawks.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS NEW YORK ISLANDERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New York Islanders -1.5

This game will be played at UBS Arena at 7:30 ET on Thursday, December 12th.

WHY BET THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS:

• The Islanders enter this game as 1.5-goal favorites and in our projections and we anticipate them winning by a score of 4-3.
• Take the Islanders on the moneyline
• On the spread, we like Blackhawks (+1.5)

Will the Chicago Defense Show Up on the Road?

Chicago improved to 9-17-2 with a 4-2 win over the Ducks. The Blackhawks covered the puck line as underdogs, and the total of 6 goals fell short of the pre-game line of 6.5.

All four of Chicago’s goals came from different players, and they led 4-0 before Anaheim got on the board. The Ducks scored their second goal with just 4 seconds left in the game.

Chicago’s offense found the net four times in their 4-2 win over Anaheim. Ryan Donato scored his 7th goal of the season, while Seth Jones added his 2nd. Isaak Phillips opened the scoring for the Blackhawks, and Teuvo Teravainen netted his 4th goal, which came on a power play.

Chicago took 29 shots on goal and recorded 12 giveaways. Connor Bedard contributed with two assists, bringing his season total to 9. The Blackhawks scored twice in the first period, added another in the second, and finished with their 4th goal in the third period.

On defense, Arvid Söderblom made 38 saves with a 95% save percentage, helping the Blackhawks to a 4-2 win over the Ducks. Chicago’s defense also contributed 6 takeaways and 5 hits. The Blackhawks will look to improve their discipline, as they had 25 penalty minutes, including a penalty that led to a late Ducks power-play goal.

Can New York Live Up to the Hype at Home?

The Islanders fell to 11-12-7 after a 5-2 loss to the Rangers. Entering as underdogs on the puck line, New York failed to cover, with the total of 7 goals surpassing the pre-game line of 6.

New York trailed 2-0 before Casey Cizikas scored at 15:22 in the second period. The Rangers responded with another goal, and Brock Nelson scored for the Islanders with just 8 seconds left in the second, cutting the deficit to 3-2. The Rangers added two more goals in the third period, including an empty-netter, to seal the game.

The Islanders took 37 shots on goal in their 5-2 loss to the Rangers, but only managed to score twice, with Casey Cizikas netting his first goal of the season and Brock Nelson adding his fifth. Cizikas got the Islanders on the board in the second period, while Nelson scored with just 8 seconds left in the period.

New York recorded 23 giveaways and went scoreless in the first and third periods. The Islanders picked up four assists, with Pierre Engvall earning his first of the season.

On the defensive side, the Islanders gave up a goal just 3:44 into the first period and another at 1:21 into the second. After closing the gap to 3-2, they allowed two more goals in the 3rd period, including an empty netter. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves with a save percentage of 89.7%.