Opening Odds Favor Capitals at -182 Over Islanders

• The Washington Capitals will face the New York Islanders in the 1st round of the playoffs
• Islanders head coach Barry Trotz won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018
• Read below for a preview and betting prediction for this series

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Washington enters the NHL playoffs as the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference after winning only one round-robin game. Its opponent in the opening round is the suddenly dominant New York Islanders.

Islanders vs Capitals Series Odds

Odds taken August 9th.

New York quickly disposed of the Florida Panthers in its play-in series and should be getting more respect from online sportsbooks. Here’s the low down on why the underdog could be the smart play here, especially when factoring in the incredible value they are offering.

Will Barry Trotz Get His Revenge?

Islanders head coach Barry Trotz coached 4 seasons with Washington, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. His tenure behind the bench came to a close shortly after that triumph and he’ll be excited to take a run at his old team. The stats show Trotz will need to do a good coaching job to keep his team in this series, but I think he’s more than capable.

Islanders vs Capitals Season Stats

When you consider the Trotz advantage any gaps in the stats disappear. Consider the powerplay for example. Alex Ovechkin on the point taking one-timers to create scoring chances in front. That game plan is exactly the same as the one Trotz had when he was coaching the team. Nobody is in better position to combat the Capitals strengths than the reigning coach of the year.

Islanders Play The Capitals Well

New York may have finished 10 points behind Washington in the regular season, but when they faced each other they were too close to separate. Both teams won a pair of games and the total scoreline was 14-14. Let that sink in, one of these teams is being listed as an overwhelming underdog despite having played four games to a draw earlier this year.

The latest news and notes from inside the bubble along with the #Isles thoughts on playing the Capitals in Round 1️⃣

🔗 : https://t.co/uddLqU8ODe pic.twitter.com/q5H3PatfW8

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) August 9, 2020

Another factor to consider is the form of the team at the current moment. Forget the wins and losses and look only at the brand of hockey the two were playing coming in. The Islanders were fighting tooth and nail for survival, while the Capitals were playing glorified exhibition games with only seeding on the line. If the Islanders keep their intensity in the opener of the series, they should get out of the gate with a very important win.

Watch For Matthew Barzal to Break Out

Many consider Matthew Barzal a fantastic talent on the cusp of a break out. What better time than the Stanley Cup playoffs? Barzal had 14 goals and 41 assists in 68 games played in the regular season and added three points in four games against Florida in the play-in round. While he’s certainly capable of highlight reel goals and plays, it’s the sustained production the Islanders will need in this series. If he can offset the scoring of the top scoring winger across the ice from him, New York will be in prime position to pull off an upset.

🏓 CHAMP 🏓 https://t.co/7xqASWLHbv pic.twitter.com/qpGCe5HUQm

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) August 8, 2020

My suggestion would be to trust Barzal, Trotz and the rest of the Islanders to get the win in this series. I’d consider laying money down before they steal game one, which I think is a great possibility.

Pick: New York Islanders (+150)