Islanders vs Devils
Playoff Preview
4/9/2023 • Flax LaplanteThe DCHL playoffs are finally upon us, and one of the first-round matchups that promises to be intriguing is the series between the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils. The Islanders secured the first seed in the Metro Division, while the Devils squeezed in with the last Wildcard spot.
However, this Devils team should not be taken lightly. Despite their record, they have been a tough team to play against this season and have given the Islanders trouble in their head-to-head matchups.
The Islanders are a team built on a solid defensive structure and a commitment to team goaltending. They allowed the second-fewest goals in the DCHL this season (173), and their goaltending duo 92 save%, also special teams is a big part of their success, Powerplay 1st in the league with 24.61%. Penalty kill 3rd in the league with 84.9%.
Offensively, they are led by their dynamic duo of Nick Suzuki, Jordan Kyrou, who have combined for 51 goals and 126 points this season.
The Devils, on the other hand, have struggled this season. Their power play was also near the bottom of the league, converting on just 16.67% of their opportunities. However, they do have some talented players on their roster, and they are a good team to create an upset.
In terms of goaltending, the Islanders have one of the best tandems in the league in Jusse Saros and Semyon Varlamov. They were both outstanding during the regular season.
The Devils' goaltending situation is crystal clear, as they have one of the best goalies in Ilya Sorokin. Their backup Mikko Koskinen as also done decent for them this season.
Overall, this should be an interesting series between two metro teams with different strengths and weaknesses. The Islanders will look to continue their strong defensive play and get contributions from their top line, and defencemans while the Devils will need to find a way to score goals and capitalized on their powerplay opportunities if they want to pull off the upset. The series may come down to which goalies can perform better.
Prediction in 6 games
NYI 4 - NJ 2
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