Posted at 10:00 AM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle  +115 BET365  +110 Sportsinteraction  +110 888Sport  +110

Minnesota +115 over N.Y. Islanders

7:30 PM EST. OT included. The Wild are playing their best hockey of the young season after firing 40 shots at the Rangers on Sunday night in Manhattan. The Wild would win that game in a shootout, 5-4, and we'll note that the Wild were down 3-0 early in that, but did not quit until the final horn. Minnesota has outshot their opposition in three of their last four games, but only have one win over that time to show for their effort.

The Islanders are 5-2-3, but they have had a hard time putting together quality efforts for the entire 60 minutes of a game. The Isles have been one of the best first-period teams in the NHL this year, as they are outscoring their opponents 10-3 after the first 20. The problem is that after those first 20 minutes everything usually goes to hell. New York has blown two-goal leads in four of their seven games, and they are routinely outshot and out-chanced by the opposition. In their last two games, the Isles were outplayed by the Capitals last Thursday night, but New York won that game 3-0. Against the Hurricanes on Saturday night, the Isles were outshot 47-to-25 but managed to salvage a point in overtime in a game that posted their worst puck possession numbers of the season.

If all of that wasn't enough to warrant a wager here, we'll note that the Wild catch the Islanders here between games against the Hurricanes and the Bruins, as the Isles have mighty Boston on deck next Thursday night in Boston. This is the perfect sandwich spot for the Wild to catch the Islanders napping.

Sherwood

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