The Islanders had a fairly dreadful trip to Florida, losing two games and not looking particularly competitive in either. Fortunately, they come home to meet some old friends in the Pittsburgh Penguins.
If you're into sports betting, the Islanders are considered underdogs, which makes sense to some degree. But no Islanders fan will forget the events of this past February. Regardless of where you stand on the fighting issue, you can't deny that the Islanders get a charge out of playing the Penguins. This has become a legitimate rivalry in every sense of the word, and we should be in for quite a game on Tuesday.
Familiarity breeds contempt, and nothing is better than a home-and-home between divisional rivals. Sure enough, the Isles and Penguins are slated to face off once again in Pittsburgh on Thursday. Hopefully the Islanders can continue their good home form while finally getting some points on the road, giving them the psychological edge over a hated rival.
