New York Islanders at Anaheim Ducks prediction, pick for 3/15: Isles aim to bounce back

Yardbarker Quick Pick

The Ducks allow the most goals per game in the NHL and the final score in each of New York's last three games has been six or more. These two teams combined for nine goals back in October, and even though we don't expect Wednesday's contest to be nearly as high scoring, we do expect the final score to be closer to six or seven. This might be a close cover but we're going with the over of 5.5 (-120) goals. — Jared Shlensky, Yardbarker

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Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET
New York Islanders: -1 (+110) puckline, -185 moneyline, over 5.5 (-120)
@ Anaheim Ducks: +1 (-106) puckline, +165 moneyline, under 5.5  (-105)

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Matt Martin was assessed an unsportsmanlike penalty for throwing the helmet of Kings forward Rasmus Kupari after they took coincidental roughing minors. Then, 30 seconds later, Zach Parise was whistled for kneeing.

The Kings broke open the game with two power-play goals one minute apart before they extended the lead to 4-1 and cruised to victory.

"Very frustrating. There's no question," Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. "The game turned in a three-minute stretch."

The Islanders have dropped two straight after going on a 7-2-1 run and have been outscored 10-3 in the two-game skid.

On the plus side, forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored in his return after missing 12 games due to an upper-body injury. On the negative, the club can ill-afford to allow these struggles to become a lengthy skid.

"We've got to look at the good things we did, bring them and outwork our opponent," Pageau said. "Then I like our chances."

The Ducks sit 29th overall in the 32-team league and soon will be officially eliminated from playoff contention, but that doesn't mean they will be easy prey.

Anaheim, which kicked off an eight-game homestand with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on Sunday, is 5-1-3 in its past nine outings.

"At this point in the season, with where we're at in the standings, I think it would be really easy to watch a team mail it in, and our guys refuse to do it," said coach Dallas Eakins, whose squad twice erased two-goal deficits against Nashville. "They're working, we're improving. Our team game is improving. We've got young players improving. We get down in a game like that against a very desperate team and we've still got our foot on the pedal."

Among the young players Eakins is referring to is rookie forward Mason McTavish. The third overall pick in the 2021 draft is coming off a two-goal game -- his second tally was the tying goal with 26 seconds remaining in regulation -- and has three goals and eight points in his past seven games.

McTavish is earning the respect of his teammates.

"It's a hard league. Very few people can just come in and figure it out, and he's light years ahead of most guys that come in," forward Troy Terry said. "The growth he's had since the start in all areas -- not just scoring but holding on to pucks down low and using his body to protect it. Defensively he's always in the right areas. All the little things with him is what stands out the most. You see why he was such a high pick."

McTavish isn't the only Ducks player collecting points of late -- Trevor Zegras has two goals and four assists in his past six games.