Macklin Celebrini set up all three Sharks goals Saturday, and San Jose still lost in Dallas. Three Stars power-play goals were the difference in a one-goal game. The Islanders have had trouble scoring lately, so the first thing to watch Monday is how often the Sharks give them an extra skater.
Can the Islanders create at five-on-five?
New York was favored at −142 on Monday’s DraftKings moneyline after scoring seven goals across three straight losses. San Jose gave up seven power-play goals in its last three games, including three in the 4–3 loss to Dallas. The more time the Islanders spend on the power play, the less they’ll need to create against a full set of defenders.
If the Sharks stay out of the box, the matchup gets more interesting. Our offense grades favor San Jose, C to D+, and Celebrini gives the Sharks someone who can turn a good shift into a scoring chance. The Islanders have the better defensive grade, B to D, but New Jersey found openings late in its 5–4 overtime win over New York. The Devils erased a two-goal deficit in the third, then won it on a two-on-one.
Ilya Sorokin made 45 saves on 50 shots that night. He and San Jose’s Yaroslav Askarov were listed as possible starters for Monday. Whoever starts for New York, watch whether the Islanders can keep Celebrini from finding a teammate in the middle or getting a look off the rush.
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What gets this game past 6.5?
Five of each team’s last 10 games reached seven goals, enough to clear the 6.5 total DraftKings listed for Monday. Their most recent games got there in different ways. Dallas and San Jose combined for four power-play goals, while the Islanders and Devils had already scored eight before overtime.
San Jose scored two goals or fewer in four of its five straight regulation losses. If the Sharks struggle to finish again, a few Islanders power plays might be enough to decide the game without producing seven goals. If Celebrini is setting up chances at one end and New York keeps getting time with the extra skater at the other, both teams have a clearer way to contribute.
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