Tip: A battered and bruised Vegas Golden Knights visit the New York Islanders!

It was a great start for Patrick Roy, who took over as head coach after Lane Lambert was dismissed. The Islanders defeated the Dallas Stars after Bo Horvat delivered the decisive blow, just over a minute into overtime. Now, the Vegas Golden Knights are coming to visit, and it's a team that's quite battered and bruised as they face the Islanders late into Wednesday night.

Injuries Could Be Decisive

William Karlsson and Jack Eichel are still on the injury list, and for those who know their hockey players, it's known that both play center, so it's a heavy blow for Vegas. They will also have to do without William Carrier, Ben Hutton, Michael Amadio, and Shea Theodore. However, it seems that goalkeeper Adin Hill will be back against the Islanders and, as one of the league's best goalkeepers this season, it is important for Vegas to regain stability at the back of the ice. It should be noted that he has struggled to return from an injury in November and was injured again in his return against the Ottawa Senators in mid-December. He was then expected back against the Colorado Avalanche two weeks ago, but due to further complications, he had to wait even longer. I wouldn't take it for granted that he will play 100% tonight, but I assume he will. However, his status is unclear, and whether he will return to his pre-injury brilliance remains to be seen.

Vegas suffered a tough loss yesterday against the New Jersey Devils after overtime and a hat-trick by Tyler Toffoli. They still have players who can fight back, and the New York Islanders don't have an easy game ahead of them. But the injuries, combined with playing a match the day before, still make this the Islanders' game to lose.

The Coaching Change in Islanders

After a prolonged period of many losses, the Islanders' leadership finally grew tired of Lambert and dismissed him from his position as head coach. Instead, former goaltending icon Patrick Roy is making a comeback in the NHL. It remains to be seen if he will make any major changes to the team, though I doubt it. Taking over the Islanders is still somewhat a grateful task. Few teams in the NHL are as well-played with each other, and Roy largely takes over a well-oiled team machine that has what it takes to reach the playoffs, even if victories are needed to not fall behind.

Sorokin played brilliantly in the meeting with the Stars, stopping 40 pucks. He is expected to start again against the Golden Knights, and should anything unexpected happen, Varlamov is now back as a backup. As the goaltending legend Patrick Roy is, he will be more than pleased to take over one of the league's best goaltending pairs. Additionally, Pierre Engvall is day-to-day, and Ryan Pulock, Robert Bortuzzo, and Casey Cizikas continue to be on IR (injury reserve) and are expected to miss the match. However, the key players of the Islanders are all participating.

Betting Tips and Conclusion

I don't expect an easy match for the New York Islanders, especially if Adin Hill can perform at a decent level after his long-term injuries. However, I think the conditions couldn't be better for the New York Islanders to beat the Vegas Golden Knights. The visiting team is coming with several key players injured and played a match as recently as yesterday, moreover, a match they led 5-3 but lost to 5-5 and subsequently lost in overtime. The Islanders also had an important change in trend last time against the Dallas Stars, and with new energy in the bench, warm winds are blowing in the UBS Arena!

I am betting on New York Islanders FT @ +125 at bet365!