Sportsbooks Give New York Islanders Second-Best Odds to Win 2019 Stanley Cup

• A stunning 4-1 road win in Pittsburgh has put the Islanders on the verge their first sweep since 1983
• New coach Barry Trotz took the Islanders from worst to first in goals against 
• With the Lightning down 3-0, the 2019 Stanley Cup futures odds are now wide open

The New York Islanders once again silenced the naysayers on Sunday, turning in another huge team effort while claiming a 4-1 win over Pittsburgh to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series with the Penguins.

Now poised to complete a four-game playoff series sweep for the first time since 1983, the Islanders have made a rapid climb up the NHL futures.  Barry Trotz’s group (+700) sits second only to the defending champion Washington Capitals (+525) in the 2019 Stanley Cup odds.

Odds to Win 2019 Stanley Cup

Islanders Enjoyed Spectacular Turnaround this Season

The Islanders’ turnaround has been nothing less than spectacular. New York stumbled to a sixth-place finish in the Metropolitan Division last year while sporting the NHL’s worst defense. They opened the current campaign amid tempered expectations following the departure of team captain John Tavares for Toronto via free agency.

An emotional John Tavares says goodbye to the Islanders pic.twitter.com/BKss7rN9tL

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) July 1, 2018

Not surprisingly, the Islanders hit the ice for the new season lagging as a distant +7500 bet to claim their first Stanley Cup title in 36 years.

But under the guidance of Trotz, who joined the club after leading the Capitals to their first-ever Cup victory, the club has taken a team-first approach that has paid enormous dividends, both on the scoreboard and at the sportsbooks.

Lehner Responding to Vote of Confidence

Coming off a disastrous campaign with the Buffalo Sabres, both on and off the ice, goaltender Robin Lehner has responded to the vote of confidence given to him by Trotz and Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello.

The mercurial Swede has exhibited a veteran demeanor while stopping 98 of 103 shots over the first three games of the series. He has surrendered more than two goals in just two of his past eight appearances.

Coming up huge again and again. @RobinLehner has the @pepsi Save of the Night and the @NYIslanders have a 2-0 series lead. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/bd9uHwNiSo

— NHL (@NHL) April 13, 2019

A no-name rearguard corps, led by Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech, has been effective at taking away time and space from the Penguins’ big guns, including Sidney Crosby, who has been held off the scoresheet in the first three games of the series and was on the ice for all three Islanders goals in Sunday’s loss.

Just 28 seconds later, Jordan Eberle scores to tie the game 1-1. That's his third goal and fifth point of the postseason #Isles pic.twitter.com/wV0VMavvnZ

— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) April 14, 2019

Up front, Jordan Eberle has played some of the most inspired hockey of his career, tallying three goals and two assists so far, including a seeing-eye snip to open the scoring for New York in Game 3.

Islanders Face Daunting Task to Reach Conference Finals

While the Islanders have pushed Crosby and the Penguins to the brink of elimination with timely scoring, spectacular goaltending and good old-fashioned hard work, they still face a huge challenge in their quest to represent the Eastern Conference in this year’s Stanley Cup Finals.

The Islanders have pushed Crosby and the Penguins to the brink of elimination with timely scoring, spectacular goaltending and good old-fashioned hard work

New York has posted just one series win since their last trip to the conference finals in 1993, and will have to overcome weak head-to-head matchups with the other top contenders in the East.

The Islanders have losing records in recent matchups with the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Of more immediate concern is how they will handle the Capitals, their most likely second-round opponent.

Experience, Consistency Make Capitals Best Bet in the East

The Capitals have produced steady results since entering the NHL All-Star Break riding a seven-game losing streak, going 22-9-1 over their final 32 regular-season outings. They are 7-2-0 in their past nine, including victories in the first two games of their opening-round series with the upstart Carolina Hurricanes.

Unlike the Penguins, Washington’s best players are off to a hot start to the postseason; the quartet of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, and Evgeny Kuznetsov have combined for 13 points in two games.

Stars being stars! At least for #Caps so far..

Ovechkin, Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Carlson & Oshie:

5G, 10A, 15pts, +8

As for #TakeWarning stars:
Aho, Teravainen, Williams, Ferland, & Hamilton:

1G, 3A, 4pts, -9#ALLCAPS

— Rob Carlin (@RobCarlinTBD) April 14, 2019

The experience gained by last year’s Cup win, combined with a high-powered offense, will make the Capitals a far harder team to shut down. With the eventual winner of the Atlantic Division bracket likely to be black and blue by the time they reach the Eastern Conference finals, the Capitals offer the most value in the Stanley Cup odds of any contender in the East.

Pick: Washington to win the Stanley Cup (+525)